Cliques and cartels in Ripperology

[Chris]

Thread for discussion of cliques and cartels in Ripperology.

[Tom_Wescott]

I am in a clique with Chris Phillips.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[mariab]

cliques relevant today: the Kozminskyphiles vs. the anti-Andersonites.
cartels: what are those? ;-)

[Monty]

As well as that cabal with Stewart Evans?

Monty

[mariab]

Referring to the Gordon Brown photo?

[sdreid]

Most I've been in a clique with have been banned.

[Robert]

I am a member of the clique comprising those who aren't members of a clique.

[Chris]

I am in a clique with Chris Phillips.

Oh. I thought I was in a clique of one.

[Chris]

I am a member of the clique comprising those who aren't members of a clique.

I think Bertrand Russell might have something to say about that.

[mariab]

Every time I get accepted into a new clique, it doesn't feel like hanging out with said clique anymore. Groucho Marx might have something to say about that.

[jason_c]

cliques relevant today: the Kozminskyphiles vs. the anti-Andersonites.
cartels: what are those? ;-)

The anti-Andersonites are a splinter group from the original Anderson-phobe movement. This newer group was formed after a botched attempted assasination of A. P. Wolf. The full membership of its army council has never been published, but is thought to include Natalie Severn and Trevor Marriot. Ally is its main North American operative. Its believed she has raised vast amounts of money from the rich North American anti-Anderson community.

[Steadmund Brand]

HAHAHAH you are so right, " I would never join a clique that would have me as a member"

way to go Mariab

[Tom_Wescott]

FROM ANOTHER THREAD

As a long time follower of Casebook I have seen the in-jokes, the sly subtle digs at each other, and the not so subtle. I have seen references to references to references, comments to and about people who are no longer active here, and I have seen scorn poured on those with low post counts who are deemed to be know-nothings, as well as people who are simply negative for the sake of it.
All of these things serve to alienate the 'outsider', to bolster the 'clique' attitude of an alarming number of posters, and to perpetuate the situation as it stands.
Several times I have thought "what's the point?". It becomes painfully obvious that a lot of this seems to be point scoring, feud settling, and a clash of egos. It is no wonder that 'ripperology' has the reputation it does - full of crackpots and egomaniacs. This kind of behaviour would be unacceptable in any other academic field, so why does it happen here. And more importantly, what do we gain from it?

This is one of the posts that seems to have inspired Chris to create this thread. Generally, when someone feels they don't belong, they decide that's the fault of all the other posters and has nothing to do with their own ability to mesh with others. Not sure that's the case with the good ol' doc here, but it's what I've seen before.

Incidentally, Ripperology is not an 'academic' field, and I'm not sure within what circles Ripperology has the reputation of being nothing but 'crackpots and egomaniacs', but if that's true then what attracted the doctor to our merry madhouse in the first place?

Having said that, of course there's cliques. Many of the posters know each other personally. What are cliques but small groups within a larger group who are drawn to each other for whatever reason? It's not the individuals who air their feelings on the boards that concern me, but the majority who talk crap behind the backs of others. Often too much whine from this grapevine.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Monty]

We call you to your face Tom, don't bother behind your back. ;-)

Monty

[mariab]

The anti-Andersonites are a splinter group from the original Anderson-phobe movement. This newer group was formed after a botched attempted assasination of A. P. Wolf. The full membership of its army council has never been published, but is thought to include Natalie Severn and Trevor Marriot. Ally is its main North American operative. Its believed she has raised vast amounts of money from the rich North American anti-Anderson community.

Precisely. (In my previous post I didn't feel like opening up too much, with elaborate revelations.)
I thought that A.P. Wolf's incarceration occurred in relation to a picture of Dutfield's Yard and the Photoshop. (By the by, an incarceration on good grounds, if you ask me.)

To Steadmund Brand:
;-)

Tom Wescott's post below makes much sense, actually. Incidentally, Ripperology is not an academic field, but it's most certainly a research field.
I'm not too surprised by the reputation of “crackpots“. It goes with the territory. As for the “egomaniacs“, yes, there are egos, and there's intense, sometimes fierce debate, as in each and every academic field. Only in Ripperology it's more apparent due to the existence of daily debate in the internet forums.
What concerns me personally is the tendency of the parties attacked to leave the boards, offended, instead of wearing it out for the greater good of Ripperology. (I'm saying this with a straight face.) Not so good if all the experienced ones go away, and we end up stuck with the newbies (like myself) and the wild theorists (such as Monty, Rob Clack, Debra Arif, Chris Phillips).