Virtuality

[Oddysee]

*/me looks at his post, then at Boo's... Then at his own again... Then at Boo's...*

Hmm, I don't think I misunderstood it, but then, that might just be the misunderstanding speaking...

I dunno Boo', your post was a welcome edition for me anyway. I've had that subject on my mind for the last few days and needed a vent to let it out. What I read in it was a clear definition of how I see griefers, and what I wish everyone would say to them. But I might have been under the influence of my thoughts at the time as I mentioned above...

There are a few people on this forum, who's threads I target out and read on every visit. I will not start naming them as it seems like shameless iconisation (that a word?) but I guess it's rather obvious I've hinted at one here.
I find these posts to give me something, if nothing else, mentally. Anything that get's me thinking... Anything that makes me ponder is a welcome edition to my life, as I'm under the impression that people who don't ponder, aren't asking enough questions about life. Not asking questions will never let us see past our own conclusions, thus, preventing further evolvement of our mental selves. Asking them might not either, but I find that it's worth a shot...

So please, never stop doing what you do. Some of us get something out of it. Even if it's not what you planned, it's a change and a welcome one at that.




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[Boinky]

OK I will try and be brief as the word count on this thread is quickly reaching the maximum j/k Saint, Tarryk & rest

Are relations in an online game less personal? Yes
Does that lead to possible behavior one might normally not express? Yes
Does it make offensive behavior acceptable? Course not
Does it make some offensive behavior understandable? I believe so

Would you react any differently to somebody who angered you if...
- They were standing in front of you
- They were driving in a car next to you in your car
- They were in another section of seats 100 feet from you at a sports arena
- They were in an online chat room
- They were playing a character in an online MMORPG
- They were playing in the same room as you in an online session of Doom

My guess is that for most of us we are going to react a bit differently in all of these situations. And I think it makes sense. Each of these situations is at least a little different than the other. And some have virtually no personal connection between you and the one who angers you, so understandably your response may be different. Why we act these ways in different situations I'm not sure of exactly. Is it because in some situations harsh actions come out due to no fear of punishment of any kind? I mean if you curse at a drunk guy at a baseball game he might just come over and try and punch you, but curse at somebody in a game of Doom and worst case is you get booted from the room. Or is it more the lack of any personal connection due to the person only being a screenname? Also the environment affects it as well. The guy in Doom is probably trying to frag you as many times as he can. The char in AO might be Clan while you are Omni. The guy at the baseball game might be wearing the opposing team's shirt. The guy in the car next to you may have cut you off a minute ago. The person in front of you may be your co-worker.

So again, to sorta summarize - Do we all act differently in different situations? I think so. Does that make bad behavior OK? Not when unjustified. If you piss me off will I let you know it? Yes.

[Vallikat]

And again, my inability to frame my thoughts and ideas into a clear, concise and easily understandable point strikes. My message is obscured behind pretty, artful words. I hesitate to believe that it is the message itself that is too foriegn for people to understand, though there is this very jaded, cynical part of me that suggests it might be.

If some of you got something meaningful out of my pathetic attempts at coherence, I'm glad. If you enjoyed it, even if what you got out of it was not what I put into it, I'm glad. But I am frustrated. And in my frustration, I am walking further down my own path away from sharing, or trying to share as it may be, my thoughts.

There was never any imperative that even so much as one of you actually agree. I never expect that, no matter how strongly I believe something or how strongly I word it. My only goals in posting revolve in sparking a certain sense of understanding and recognition, and a friendly, challenging kind of open discussion. And in this I have failed again. As clever as my words seem, and as clear as I am to myself, I remain vague and unable to properly communicate my ideas to nearly anyone else here.

I think maybe it's time I stop beating my head against the wall. All it seems to do is inflame the rest of you. The sharing doesn't really happen. The understanding has no chance of occurring. No one walks away feeling good.

Take care.

I read this and I think it says "If you don't agree with me than you must have misunderstood me and if you misunderstood me than you must be a moron (read: unable to understand anything that's put to you using artful words.)" You're saying that you don't expect us to agree, yet you're also stating that those that didn't agree must have misunderstood your point. You can't have it both ways.

and not that I typically go around quoting the bible, but here's one for you: Judge not, lest ye be judged.

[Darth Bootay]

Tarryk, you know what, old pal? What you told me..? I think maybe you're right. Maybe I AM a little overly concerned about not hurting people. I don't know. It's hard, sometimes, to reconcile the logical knowledge that "no matter what someone presents that there will always be at least one person who will find some way to take offense" with my own harsh self-judegements and my inherent belief that no matter how much I try, my writing and communication skills will always fall short. Maybe I'll be a little less easily discouraged with myself once I've had a little fun at the beach next weekend. Who knows.

And there ARE those who no longer have names or voices as far as I am concerned that still yammer like the empty barrels they are, already. That has always been part of my practice. The shunning of people who have no actual content, but make a lot of offensive noise, that is. Maybe I should be a little less concerned about the size of the little "You Don't Exist" list. After all, it isn't growing very quickly.

For those of you who read my over-analyzed, poorly worded mental debris... well I'm glad you all have the generousity to say that you enjoy it when you do. Even those times when you have to just step back, scratch your heads and tell me "wtf were you trying to say?" After all, "Alexaland" is a pretty wierd place to try and put your head if you're not me. And you ARE thinking and responding...and having a little fun. If it wasn't for people like Tarryk, Oddy, Ichi and Schuu (just to name a few, but by no means all of you) posting, for me, would be pointless. Just so much intellectual masturbation. I never needed to write to do that.

I still think I really need my little vacation. Maybe when I come back I'll have something fresh to throw into the forum waters. Joy joy.

PS- Boinky, you kill me, man. You're dead on the mark on where I began and have expanded it further than I had originally gone with it. Which is taking me out of the realm of Anonymity Effect into something else that's been bugging me about social dynamics in IRL and the modern person's recent tendency to extend civilized conventions and behaviors to those they know and like but to deny any ethical or humane consideration to those who are not part of their circle of friends and family. Which is in itself fuel for yet another intellectual orgy of debate. Eeesh!

[The Irish Guy]

Would you react any differently to somebody who angered you if...

- They were playing in the same room as you in an online session of Doom

Having been to several large-scale LAN Parties I can vouch for your point here.

When you're playing games online and people get mad at eachother they toss insults back and forth and threaten to hax0r j00r computar.

When you're playing games at a LAN and people get mad at eachother they try to find out where the other person is sitting in the room / ask the other person to meet them in the parking lot / etc.

Physical threats don't occur to people when they're playing online. But if they know that the person they're mad at is in the same room then it's the first thing that comes to their mind.

[Vallikat]

And there ARE those who no longer have names or voices as far as I am concerned that still yammer like the empty barrels they are, already. That has always been part of my practice. The shunning of people who have no actual content, but make a lot of offensive noise, that is. Maybe I should be a little less concerned about the size of the little "You Don't Exist" list. After all, it isn't growing very quickly.

If they no longer have voices as far as you're concerned, how do you know they are still yammering? For that matter how do you know that their yammering has either no content or is offensive?

But speaking of offensive... Who? Me? Why? Because I aspire to point out the shortfalls in your logic?

I'm not going to sit here and kiss your ass and tell you that I agree if I don't. If that's what you're looking for (and most times it seems to me it is) then you have no business posting in a public forum.

[Oddysee]

[Lot's of not-at-all-positive-stuff...]

Oh here's a great idea, let's throw more mudd now that everything is setteling down, as we all know having the last word is more important than anything else!

[...]"no matter what someone presents that there will always be at least one person who will find some way to take offense"[...]

It seems that way doesn't it...

I dunno Valli', to me that last response seemed very unnecessery. Why stir som'n up that's setteling down? As far as I could see, you were not mentioned anywhere in that whole thread, so what's with the personal attacks?

One thing is disagreeing... Another is flaming.
No one has flamed here for ages, and that's how it should be. This isn't the AO community forums after all, and thank god for that.

So please, for the sake of everyone, keep things like that to private messages... Goes for anyone, disagree all you like, but keep the personals off board. GSP shouldn't degenerate to the level of the NT or fixer boards. There are enough trolls out there. Don't bring them in here.

Thank you, and have a nice day.




Tm[/quote]

[Tarryk]

haha u r all suk

erm...next deep thought thread before I lock this one pls?

[Cowtipper]

Yes, Tarryk. I do have one more thing to add.

Everybody needs to suck in a big wind of air*, and sing the following song. Whether you're a boy or a girl.

I feel pretty,
Oh, so pretty,
I feel pretty and witty and bright!
And I pity
Any girl who isn't me tonight.

I feel charming,
Oh, so charming
It's alarming how charming I feel!
And so pretty
That I hardly can believe I'm real.

See the pretty girl in that mirror there:
Who can that attractive girl be?
Such a pretty face,
Such a pretty dress,
Such a pretty smile,
Such a pretty me!

I feel stunning
And entrancing,
Feel like running and dancing for joy,
For I'm loved
By a pretty wonderful boy!

Have a nice day.

* Note: the size of your 'big wind of air' will vary depending on lung capacity and dizzyness-resistance potential. Also, you can take more breaths of air during the song, don't try to do it all on one go or you will turn blue, or I will laugh at you as you hyperventilate on the ground as a twitching lump of human.

[Oddysee]

Lol, love that song... Exactly annoying enough to be likable! ^^






Tm