I’m not completely sure. I just remember seeing that number somewhere. I’d have to look for it. Here’s an old thread with some data and links on overall site traffic…which is really encouraging.
That’s virtually impossible to tell…but just realize you were lurking for 3 or 4 years before making an account and posting. And if you run a search for something like “welcome mises forum” you’ll see plenty of threads from newbies. They come in all the time. (And we’d probably get even more if there wasn’t a “welcome” screen encouraging new visiters to join the “new community” instead…but of course I doubt the powers that be care much.)
It would be nice if all those visits were people like us, but I think there’s no way that’s the case. So instead we get the next best thing…newbies who are looking for some insights and answers. (So of course, either way, traffic is good).
And even if you’re “part of the choir”, I think there’s always something to learn and skills to sharpen. I think the conversation can help with that.
“Human understanding is marvellously enlightened by daily conversation with men, for we are, otherwise, compressed and heaped up in ourselves, and have our sight limited to the length of our own noses.” -Montaigne
And I know plenty of people like to use the “circle jerk” accusation and claim that everyone gathers in a place like this just to reaffirm their “bias” and tell each other they’re right, and avoid any criticism or opposing views. I think anyone who spends any time here would see that’s certainly not the case in this forum. Hard questions are asked all the time…sometimes so much that people get fed up with newcomers asking the same ones…indicating the people aren’t interested in dealing with the same stuff they’ve already dealt with and are comfortable with, but in fact are more interested in new and challenging things. And disagreements happen all the time. Things are debated plenty.
And I think people definitely learn. I’ve had multiple people come out of nowhere and say they enjoyed reading posts of mine and have learned things. People who virtually never participate in the forums…meaning we’d never know they were there. But they are. People do read this stuff.
It’s a lot like the Mises Dailys I think. If you do a google search for almost any economic topic, odds are a Mises Daily on the subject comes up in the results. That’s largely how I found the Institute. There’s always some insight on the very question you’re looking for.
Oh yeah, no question there are millions left to teach. It can get a little distorting if you spend enough time in places like this and around likeminded people…you can start to lose a realistic sense of where the country is as a whole. But. The movement does exist. And it may very well have reached a tipping point already. Paul’s numbers are doubled and tripled from 4 years ago. Something is happening.