Whether you take part in the forums or not is your choice. You do not have to take part in and contribute to discussions in the forums just because you are registered. You can choose just to read the forums if you so wish.

However, when you take part in the discussions by asking questions of your own and answering questions posted by others, you will inevitably learn more. You will also gain recognition and respect as a community member which will help you to network and make contacts that could oneday be of value to you. Remember a silent person is a faceless person and it is unlikely that members of the community will readily trust such a person because they have little or no insight of such a person.

The more active a person is in the community, the more they are recognised. People are more likely to approach a person who has spoken on a public forum, than one that has not. On all the Investor Network forums there is a culture of "It's not what you own that gives you position or respect, but what you give away."