The psychology of forum and online dynamics

[mippus]

Jennifer, you killed a fascinating thread that might need reviving.
Now that it has been removed for a while, is there any chance for a ressurection of the repsystem?

[kuranes]

Originally Posted by CzeCze

I just think it's funny how it's the overly warm-fuzzy posts that consistently get the most vocal criticism as dangerous for forum life. I think that points to an NT bias in the forum and also the view that warm-fuzzies are fake and therefore sinister -- whereas the nature of bashing posts are open in their hostility or irreverence (not to mention more natural for an NT than a warm fuzzy one) and destructive nature. Though I also argue that a lot of bashing posts are actually not that open and are usually thinly veiled.

Agreed. It's silly to think that all sympathetic posts are just mindless "quid pro quo" backscratching, even though some may be, or may contain elements of that, and thus be of at least dual motivation.

[Bella]

I didn't realize there was so much politics......I shouldn't have read this thread.

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by Bella

I didn't realize there was so much politics......I shouldn't have read this thread.

Well.. politics are a natural part of life. Understanding how they operate gives room to maneuvre around them

[Victor]

Originally Posted by Geoff

Well.. politics are a natural part of life. Understanding how they operate gives room to maneuvre around them

If you get the politics right, everything else follows.

Look at the successful countries in the world and look at the failed countries. The essential difference is that the successful countries have got their politics right.

But what is a successful politics?

Successful politics is simply the limitation of power.

This is difficult to achieve as each politician and party wants to maximise their power.

Intuitively each politician and party want to win.

But liberal democracy limits power. It doesn't abolish power, but limits it.

The limitation of power is counter-intuitive and first and foremost requires counter-intuitive habits of thought.

And we learn counter-intuitive habits of thought through literacy.

In fact their is no liberal democracy without universal literacy. Just as their is no science or modern economics without universal literacy.

Modernity is based on universal literacy.

And Modernity is entirely counter-intuitive.

[Bella]

Originally Posted by Geoff

Well.. politics are a natural part of life. Understanding how they operate gives room to maneuvre around them

These kinds of interpersonal politics freak me out.

[INTJMom]

I would like the rep points returned, too.
I still write reps, but it feels sort of empty since there are no points attached.

[mippus]

Or just the possibility to click for agreemment or appreciation without having to write a text about that...

[Jack Flak]

Oh! I thought the balance was a little typewriter icon. I've been doing typing speed tests in the rep forms.

What's my wpm, you guys? "asdfjkl;"

[bluemonday]

I don't want to be graded on what I write, this isn't school. Also, seems like an opportunity for vindictiveness to find an outlet. Just call me glass half-empty.

What's the point of it anyway - is it to give people that don't know you some idea of your credibility? If so, it's not going to be useful because people don't evaluate these things rationally. Keep it switched off, I say.

Actually, I don't really care - I just wanted to get my 500th post out of the way.

Yay!