Journal athloi's Journal: Meta-Social Networking 2
Two things I am too dumb, or too sane, to understand: avatars in Second Life and social networking.
I can understand wanting to have a game character, but people accessorize these like lockers in high school, as if trying to prove their individuality. Isn't their individuality proven by the fact that they're individuals?
Social networking is another puzzler. I like the idea of having lots of friends because "friend" is a positive word, and we all like people, especially those who like us. But are these people really "friends"? It seemed disingenuous to me, so I dropped out of social networking except to keep track of friends I have in real life.
On Slashdot, because amongst the trolls and embittered moron BOFH candidates there are many knowledgeable, smart and often kind people, I had a different idea. I call it "meta-social networking." Instead of trying to claim people as friends, I'm claiming them as friend material because I respect something they said, or did, or at a live Slashdot gathering found them insightful.
I've now been meta-social networking on Slashdot for six months, and my meta-friends list runneth over with people who have distinguished themselves with their brains and personalities and knowledge. I'm proud of this list, because when I go through it, I see people who are using their brains to make technology and humanity better. These aren't the couchbound slackers that make our lives miserable by failing to fix obvious deficiencies. These people represent the kind of people whose company I'd want to seek, the kind of people who bring a sense of hope for humanity.
Here's that meta-social networking list again. Check 'em out. I'm proud of them, even if I only know a few of them.
Very well put (Score:1)
And I'll be happy to contribute to SL when Linden can encourage me with a reason to be there, and a better reason it had better be than so that I can decorate a new hall-locker. (great metaphor)
Oh, and thanks for counting me as a meta-friend. I like to hope that I inspire others and to think that I have something int
We're out here reading (Score:2)