I also think the quality is too low. I don't know what can really be done about it though, because the quality of the atmosphere I think is high. And I wouldn't want to jeapordise that. I can't think of anything that wouldn't jeapordise that. So I'll take what I can get and hope it might get better.
I've seen the opposite side, I've spoken of issues with another forum before, discussion quality was high, and that was what drew me in the first place. Except for the fact it was full of hard left authoritarian, hateful, elitist as*holes who nurse grudges for years and years and years. And awful, abusive mods of the exact same ilk. Even if I hadn't been in the crosshairs there, that would still be worse than here. People wanting every kind of diversity except the only one that matters, diversity of mind. I don't want to be in an echo chamber. It's not even any good when you're on the "right" side because other people on "my side" are being awful to the ones not on it and they're powerless to do anything about it because the ones on the "right" side are protected. It's like watching the internet equivalent of someone tied up being slapped in the face over and over and over again. So I'd just end up feeling so dirty to be associated with them. I don't want to slap that person down, I want to talk with them!
If there is a solution to the quality issue, it would need to be something which didn't intrude on people being able to be themselves, as they seem to be able to be right now. No punishing people for "low quality" posts or the "wrong" opinion. No elitism. I'm envisioning something to help the content improve without putting any pressure on anyone to change, it would be completely voluntary. But even then, I can't imagine how it would take form without the dangers I'm worried about, without people being seen as lesser, without elitism and cliques separating "good" posters from "s**t" posters. Posters who create good content and posters who are a net loss to the forum and need to be eliminated. And who the hell even gets to decide what is good content and what is not? I obviously have my own idea and so does Walrus and I'm sure so do most people reading this, but trying to promote that as the standard to follow for everyone, even if done with the best of intentions, I don't see how it could work, or even how it could not come off as arrogant.
There are so many threads and posts here which just wouldn't be allowed to exist and nor would the poster in that other place. People don't seem to hate each other here and seem to respect their right to have a differing opinion. And having seen what the opposite of that looks like, I think that is a precious thing.