E-Learning and Online Teaching

From a conveying useful information perspective, the most popular discussion has 0 value. However, from the perspective of encouraging people to bond and become emotionally invested in the community, it's very useful. 

When members become emotionally invested in the community, their level of activity goes up. When members participate in bonding/status-jockeying discussions, their level of activity goes up. When members get to know each other beyond the topic, their level of activity increases.