The Grand Artist wrote:
I keep hearing how MM was great when it first started in the good ole days, but I have never viewed it as a place that was that helpful or supportive to others. This is a sentiment I have seen shared with many people here who have been here as long or longer than I have.

But who really cares, right.

Well, I edited your thread comment to make it more easier to respond to your question.

I'm first going to approach the first clause to the first sentence.

As a hobbyist who first and foremost has viewed MM as a practical way of hooking up with models for "one on one" shoots, I've found MM to be a priceless site to go to for most of my 5 years of membership, up to this past year. 

While I have been, and continue to be, critical of MM on certain areas, there is no doubt that they have done an excellent job of keeping this site way ahead of it's competitors, especially OMP. Only during this past year has MM's overall activity decline significantly.

In regards to how helpful MM is when it comes to the forums, I believe they have done a very good job of filtering out mean spirited cliques (internet gangs) that would swarm on those who disagreed with a fellow clique member. It is now a much more comfortable place to voice one's opinion, or to ask for some advice. Yes, there still are some who look for opportunities to attack other MMers, but it's much improved. MM has very respectable senior MM members, like Ken Marcus and Fred Greissing, who can give thoughtful opinions and advice on various aspects of photography.