A Source for Something

"Unlike Arlong Park, we're not a source for anything." On one of my weekly (read: daily -.-) sweeps of the Misc Disc (in what has become a bad habit of checking UPN even with the bookmark deleted), I noticed somebody say this about our beloved little community. "Unlike Arlong Park, we're not a source for anything." We're not a source for anything. It occurred to me that this member's criticism could be easily answered, but that the current establishment seems deadset against it. The answer to the criticism is, "We become a source for something." Tautological, maybe, but there you have it. The problem is, Kuno refuses (as he has refused, for years) to keep UPNetwork officially living on in community name only, i.e. he insists on keeping UPNetwork (the community) linked to UPNetwork's original mission (Pokemon). Never mind that everyone on the English-speaking Pokemon Internet knows that we're only UPNetwork in community-name only; the point is he staunchly refuses to update the forums' mission to be something more relevant to his -- and our -- interests and that this prevents us from taking action to become "a source for something."

Now we depart from Kuno -- for really, his obstinance is only the tip of the iceberg, and as his longtime e-Friend I can respect his wishes and as a longtime member of UPN I can also understand his wishes, however much they may frustrate me. (And I should note -- Kuno, I know you may be reading this :p , but I'm referring to you in the 3rd person anyway.) I say again, we depart from focusing our discussion on how UPN is stuck in the past and move on to the real meat and potatoes of the dilemma: it really is easier said than done to find out what we could be a source for. It's not a simple answer like I BS'ed in the first paragraph. It is, in fact, quite fucking difficult. Observe:

- on the one hand, we could strive to become a source for something obvious. Something mainstream? Something people care about. Like ... Naruto. Hey, maybe a hentai encyclopedia? Or how about all Square-Enix titles? The problem with these juvenile suggestions should be fast apparent: there already exist authorities on these matters, authorities with beautiful websites replete with troves of treasured information. Just as it seems bleak for UPN to ever regain its title of "#1 Pokemon website on the 'net" as this would require toppling Serebii, Marriland, and BMG's runaway success Bulbapedia, it would be even more bleak for us to try and go up against the likes of AnimeNewsNetwork, Baka-Updates, etc.

- on the other hand, we could strive to become a source for something not so obvious. Something niche. Something only a very small group of people care about. Like ... Shenmue. Or maybe we could go even more obscure and choose the anime Akazukin Chacha. Or perhaps more obscure still and select Amanita phalloides for our website of choice. The problem here? Too fucking niche == not gonna solve our problem! Our problem, as voiced, is that nobody comes to us. How the fuck would we solve that by appealing to something ~nobody cares about?

Now, again I have the solution; and again, it is easier said than done; but here we have it: "all" the greats invented something novel which had a genuine need. Semi-greats invent something with no real need and force its self-serving need down our throats. Semi-greats invent something with a real need but that isn't novel and is just "reinventing the wheel." But the greats? They find something nobody's done before and that should have been done ages ago. This is what UPNetworkers ought to be focusing on -- this is what any aspiring community-builder needs to consider if he hopes to attract members. He needs to find something he can offer which nobody else can -- or at least that nobody else has nor is likely to do soon.

Thus, we can rule out things like "translating Pokemon news from Japanese to English" or "hosting terabytes of doujinshi on an H-server" or "offering cutting reviews of over 500 classic anime titles." Been there, done that. We have to find something necessary and new. Then, and only then, will we join -- no, surpass -- the likes of Arlong Park, dattebayo, and Serebii.