Please pardon the interruption.
Service will resume momentarily.

Nov 14, 2002

Thank you, Laura Murphy.

I was about to make a really pissy, bitchy post about some foolishness that now escapes me. But lately, I've taken to selectively reading blogs rather than actually keeping up with all of them. Frankly, Laura's blog was exactly what I needed to calm down, and now I have, so I'm going to talk about something calmer.

I really like the Lord of the Rings.

I know some of you don't, but I think that could be because you read it before you were ready to. I know I tried several times before I succeeded. I failed those first few for a multitude of reasons, but mostly because I simply wasn't ready for the book. I don't know if it's a class I took, an epiphany I reached, or a hormone that has only now been released in my brain, but this newer reading is absolutely incredible. I just read through Entmoot and the return of Gandalf, and it's amazing how powerful such simple language can be. I must say, I felt myself swept up in the tide of these portentious events as though I were really there, being borne along by Treebeard or stupefied by the appearance of the White Rider. Those of you who have only read the Hobbit are simply missing out. It is what it says: an enchanting prelude to the real thing. You don't really feel the swelling of wonder and excitement in your heart until you're about halfway through the Fellowship of the Ring, and after that it just keeps building. At this point I'm simply itching in anticipation of the assault on Orthanc.

Elendil! Elendil!
Nick ::: 9:48 PM ::: 0 comments

Internet Psychology
Anonymity

The most unique facet of the internet community is the anonymity enjoyed by its members. A person interacts with others only through a screen name or a URL, and even then only indirectly, through text. This unusual environmental factor leads to many distinct behavior patterns, of which I will discuss at least three: the Hedonist pattern, the Snakeskin pattern, and the Normative pattern.

The Hedonist pattern is often used as a vent for the frustrations of those dissatisfied with social and moral norms. Hedonists use the anonymity of the web as a way to escape societal accountability. They take advantage of the fact that actions in a given internet microcosm can generally only have an effect in that microcosm to get away with behavior that is insulting, cruel, or unacceptable to others. They find their ability to avoid any repercussions for their actions empowering. This pattern frequently skips from mini-community to mini-community to avoid even the disapproval of the administrators and occupants of these interest groups, which can take the form of social rejection or outright banning. The Hedonist rejoices in his or her ability to offend as many people as possible in a short amount of time, and then move on to avoid all consequences.

Indulgence in the Hedonist pattern is a mark of low self-esteem and bitterness over an inability to function in social situations. Hedonists do what they do in an attempt to prove their superiority over society's expectations of them. They frequently choose screen names designed to offend those they feel are too restrictive or elitist. Anti-religious and anti-government slogans are popular with Hedonists, as is the excuse that they are being unjustly censured for their very identity. Most Hedonists maintain that those who disapprove of them are stupid or unworthy of consideration, despite the fact that most of the actions in line with the pattern are specifically aimed at incurring disapproval. Most Hedonists simply want to "win" what they perceive as a battle between themselves and those that are socially comfortable. Their general strategy is to hit a community, offend as many people as possible, and then run to prove that the social norms they violated are immaterial.

The Snakeskin pattern is similar to the Hedonist pattern, but less obnoxious and more passive. Snakeskins often find themselves caught in social gaffes because of hostility, petulance, or lack of social grace. Rather than face up to the consequences of the gaffes, Snakeskins prefer to shed the guilty identity and obtain a new one. Snakeskins generally have a real interest in the community they inhabit, and thus are uninterested in the hit-and-fade tactics favored by Hedonists. Snakeskins meet with varied degrees of success, because those with a certain amount of technical skill can often verify that a new screen name belongs to the same person.

Some Snakeskins choose this pattern for the same reasons that they might have chosen the Hedonist pattern, but others are simply shy or strongly desire peer approval. They are generally more redeemable than Hedonists, because they stay in one place long enough for others to have an impact on them. Some want to offend people, but these generally become transient Hedonists because of the difficulty of reconciling this goal with a sustained charade. Snakeskins are often quite young and still haven't really become comfortable with a single social face, and may mature into Normatives.

The Normative pattern is the favorite of those with a strong sense of identity. This pattern is generally more common among older, more mature net geeks. Normatives don't really change anything about themselves and are often somewhat open and honest with basic personal information like real name, age, and state of residence. Normatives, being more sure of themselves, are often more capable when it comes to handling social disapproval and are thus not really interested in the avoidance of accountability. Normatives stick with one single screen name for very long periods of time and thus pretty much give up the allure of anonymity. Because of this, a follower of the Normative pattern is more likely to develop lasting friendships with friends met through the internet.

The normative pattern is generally the mark of happier people. Having a generally high level of satisfaction with their situation, Normatives are less likely to want to change it through Hedonist or Snakeskin methodology. Normatives are also more likely to become successful or well-known members of internet communities, and will often be those who are interested in social approval or rank. Normatives frequently make up the bulk of any given cyberspace biosphere. Because they are socially stable, they often acquire skills which are common or highly valued in the communities they enjoy.

One curious aspect of this particular divide is that Snakeskins and Hedonists are more likely to clump into small posses who are aware of each other's changes in identity and location. Normatives are less likely to seek such a small, close-knit group of companions, preferring to receive general approval from the community as a whole.
Nick ::: 8:15 PM ::: 0 comments

What a great test, Bethany.

Disorder	Rating
Paranoid:	Low
Schizoid:	Low
Schizotypal:	High
Antisocial:	Low
Borderline:	Low
Histrionic:	High
Narcissistic:	High
Avoidant:	Low
Dependent:	Low
Obsessive-Compulsive:	Moderate
-- Click Here To Take The Test --

Nick ::: 7:31 AM ::: 0 comments

Nov 12, 2002

Internet psychology is a fascinating topic. It's especially interesting because it is so very informal. Firsthand experience is really the only way to study the cyberspace psyche, and the subject is revelatory about the human mind to the armchair experts intrigued by it.

The idea almost sounds like some sort of bizarre scientific experiment. We'll get a random sample of people from all different backgrounds all over the world, and allow them to converse through words, pictures, sounds, and shared interests. We'll keep them almost totally anonymous, but allow them to construct and modify their names and appearances as they wish. All real personal details will remain totally secret; it's up to each person to withold, divulge, or fabricate them as they wish. We'll give them unlimited publishing rights and free distribution of whatever material they decide to compose. Free speech will have sole dominion over the realm, and it will be up to the subjects to craft and impose a social order, or simply put an end to limitation of expression.

The effects of this unique environment are fascinating to behold. What effect does near-total anonymity have on people? What causes some to behave without any regard for moral accountability, while others construct a new set of social guidelines, and still others act as though they never left the real world? What unique forms of expression take shape in this environment, and why? What effect does the negligible cost of publication have on subject matter and quality of articulation?

I don't really have time to delve into this topic immediately, but expect to see a series of blogs on it.
Nick ::: 11:02 PM ::: 0 comments

Nov 11, 2002

You know, today was the first time my youthful idealism was trampled by reality.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Nick? A youthful idealist? I must be reading the wrong blog." But I'm not even kidding. Today I tried to argue for a 25 cent newspaper and Mr. Wade (not the person you'd really expect to be wearing the idealism-stompin' boots) informed me that we can't break even at a quarter unless we sell upwards of 600 newspapers or rely on at least $100 of ads. The bloody free market is forcing us to sell at 50 cents.

Needless to say I'm highly disappointed. Needless to say no one else cares. It's just that I had hoped to remain pretty realistic and not get into too many disagreements with practicality. Then I find that I'm so preoccupied with what people think about paying for the newspaper that I neglect to consider the purely business side of the whole operation. I'm inadvertently falling victim to the attitude that put last year's paper $5,000 in the hole. I'm supposed to be the responsible guy who brings together all aspects of the whole and here I am completely ignoring the force that drives everything we do: business.

So, in short, I hate being a failure.
Nick ::: 10:28 PM ::: 0 comments