OT but is a good read

Kemosabe · Post by **Kemosabe** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:36 am

IMHO, reading this should be required prior to joining a forum.

http://www.shirky.com/writings/group_enemy.html

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:43 am

Damn! Started reading an could'nt stop. What a piece of work. It's 3:42 AM

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:29 am

nothing causes a group to galvanize like an external enemy.

Guess that would be guests.

Great read!

Wonder what this means tho?

And groups often gravitate towards members who are the most paranoid and make them leaders, because those are the people who are best at identifying external enemies.

allfr1 · Post by **allfr1** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 7:49 am

Damn! Started reading an could'nt stop. What a piece of work. It's 3:42 AM

I guess I forgot to sign in, i'm allfr1

dsg · Post by **dsg** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:26 am

Excellent article. I love the sociology-technology interaction discussions, and that was a good one. I was also a member of The Well for a number of years, so I can attest to the truth of just about everything covered in that piece. He knows what he's talking about.

Of course, none of this has anything to do specifically with cpap........

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:49 am

Fascinating reading, Kemosabe. Thanks for the link!

Grabraham · Post by **Grabraham** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 10:20 am

Anonymous wrote:
nothing causes a group to galvanize like an external enemy.
Guess that would be guests.

Great read!

Wonder what this means tho?

And groups often gravitate towards members who are the most paranoid and make them leaders, because those are the people who are best at identifying external enemies.

Nope not Guests -- DME's

WAFlowers · Post by **WAFlowers** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 10:33 am

Grabraham wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
nothing causes a group to galvanize like an external enemy.
Guess that would be guests.

Great read!

Wonder what this means tho?

And groups often gravitate towards members who are the most paranoid and make them leaders, because those are the people who are best at identifying external enemies.
Nope not Guests -- DME's

And uncaring docs.

And the people who speak up the most against them appear as leaders in this forum. Hmmm ...

I'm now at the part about "religious veneration". Hoo boy! Do I see that here. And I realize I've fallen into it somewhat too.

Fascinating reading and scathingly accurate. My experience with "social software" goes back to a BBS system I wrote back in '85 to do technical support for the company I worked for then. I've seen the patterns described in the article over and over and OVER again for 20 years. This article has put in words my thoughts and vague feelings on the subject.

Required reading!

WAFlowers · Post by **WAFlowers** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:30 am

Finished reading it and am bookmarking the link for future reference as I get involved in other things in the future.

I was particularly struck by this statement in the conclusion:

The people using your software, even if you own it and pay for it, have rights and will behave as if they have rights. And if you abrogate those rights, you'll hear about it very quickly.

Hmmm ...

mikemoran · Post by **mikemoran** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 12:35 pm

Not sure I understood this correctly. Am I supposed to start worshipping DMEs to improve my sex life?

dsg · Post by **dsg** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 12:51 pm

mikemoran wrote:Not sure I understood this correctly. Am I supposed to start worshipping DMEs to improve my sex life?

You're close. If you start worshipping DME's, you will be able to demand rights. One of those rights is that they supply you with a sex life. Others in the group that is also worshipping DME's will be able to exert pressure that can affect the nature of your sex life, but it may (or may not) be the kind of pressure that you'd like. Lastly, whatever transpires will be recorded for all eternity in a wikipedia. Or possibly a LiveJournal. Perhaps both. Depends on your pressure and your sex life, I think. I'm not positive about that part.

yardbird · Post by **yardbird** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 12:59 pm

Does it have to be a sex life with someone else using the DME or can I retain my current wife for that?

dsg · Post by **dsg** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:12 pm

I think that depends on your insurance. Also, there could be an annual cap on the number of times you (or anyone in the community) is allowed to exchange partners. But the DME might not tell you about that. Even if you worship them.

neversleeps · Post by **neversleeps** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:37 pm

You're all wrong. If you were members of the Old Hat club like I am, I could tell you the REAL story.

Grabraham · Post by **Grabraham** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:04 pm

neversleeps wrote:You're all wrong. If you were members of the Old Hat club like I am, I could tell you the REAL story.

If it has something to do with a 5 gallon bucket of Olive oil, a bathtub full of jello and a performing woodchuck I know all about it

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