http://forums.bf2s.com/viewtopic.php?id=55324 - my shortest closed thread ever - and I'm not even sure why...
OK, maybe I better explain...
It wasn't actually intended to be a thread about 'russj123', per se - I thought some people might have twigged what I was on about and then started a discussion about 'The wierd world of internet forums'...
OK, having said this isn't about you (if you're reading this), russ, I hope you don't mind if I use you as an 'case study' of sorts... I know I'll change the names... :p
Right, the case of dobbi678:
dobbi678 appears to be quite a new member on these forums (though I haven't checked his join date, so I don't know how new) and has, to my knowledge, started at least two threads in the help sections of these forums asking for opinions on a couple of different subjects. Then, just as opinions start coming in the threads disappear. Now this must be due to one of two things - either dobbi678 didn't like the responses he was getting or some moderator has it 'in' for dobbi678 and is deleting his threads as quickly as possible.
Now, I'm sure the later isn't the case. The mods here all seem pretty decent in my experience.
But, I also can't see how dobbi678 could have got offended by the help he was getting (after some obvious, almost mandatory, punnage (admitedly from me in particular)).
So, here's the question(s):
What is it about internet forums that make people behave and respond differently than they would in any 'real-life' social situation?
Jokes and puns are good example, in real-life they're common within human social interactions and act to 'break the ice', but online, those same jokes and puns, seem to have completely the opposite effect.
Why is this?
Thinking this over also brought the concept of the 'monkeysphere' to mind - is and how is our 'monkeysphere' changed by the 'barrier' of PC-internet-PC between us and our online-social group?
How many of us, as I do, consider the posters (even those we lock horns with) on these forums as inside their 'monkeysphere' whilst they're actively reading/posting, but outside once the browser windows been closed, or they've surfed on?
Discuss...
OK, maybe I better explain...
It wasn't actually intended to be a thread about 'russj123', per se - I thought some people might have twigged what I was on about and then started a discussion about 'The wierd world of internet forums'...
OK, having said this isn't about you (if you're reading this), russ, I hope you don't mind if I use you as an 'case study' of sorts... I know I'll change the names... :p
Right, the case of dobbi678:
dobbi678 appears to be quite a new member on these forums (though I haven't checked his join date, so I don't know how new) and has, to my knowledge, started at least two threads in the help sections of these forums asking for opinions on a couple of different subjects. Then, just as opinions start coming in the threads disappear. Now this must be due to one of two things - either dobbi678 didn't like the responses he was getting or some moderator has it 'in' for dobbi678 and is deleting his threads as quickly as possible.
Now, I'm sure the later isn't the case. The mods here all seem pretty decent in my experience.
But, I also can't see how dobbi678 could have got offended by the help he was getting (after some obvious, almost mandatory, punnage (admitedly from me in particular)).
So, here's the question(s):
What is it about internet forums that make people behave and respond differently than they would in any 'real-life' social situation?
Jokes and puns are good example, in real-life they're common within human social interactions and act to 'break the ice', but online, those same jokes and puns, seem to have completely the opposite effect.
Why is this?
Thinking this over also brought the concept of the 'monkeysphere' to mind - is and how is our 'monkeysphere' changed by the 'barrier' of PC-internet-PC between us and our online-social group?
How many of us, as I do, consider the posters (even those we lock horns with) on these forums as inside their 'monkeysphere' whilst they're actively reading/posting, but outside once the browser windows been closed, or they've surfed on?
Discuss...
Last edited by Scorpion0x17 (2006-12-01 14:41:25)