List Patterns
>>Perhaps one could even go so far as to say that it
would seem that >>dicussion groups have their own style of entropy
to deal with. …
After 15 years of participating on some lists, what I find is
not so much entropy (winding down) as a cyclical
approach. Each list almost always as an energetic start, followed by a period
of good exchanges, and then an almost inevitable spat of some kind or spate
of postings from newbies that tends to de-rail
the discussion.
Anybody else notice how we've come full circle. Started this
list with an avalanche of intros and now
we're doing it again.
I have noticed, however, that subjects arise, peak, and then
dissappear only to reemerge in almost the same form a year later. From a
my point of view this is quite convenient.
Hypothesis: Lists that feel like they function well are those
that emulate familiar 'real life' communication modes. A net seminar that
works like a 'real' seminar; a net announcement that looks like an announcement
on a physical bulletin board; a friendly net discussion that mirrors that
such friends would say FTF...
A group of regular posters tend to dominate the multilogue.
They have developed relationships which each other and often their messages
speak the language of that relationship, a language
inaccessible to me as newbie and
lurker. The members argue and bicker with each
other over issues great and small. The discussion wanders off topic into
eddies of personal opinion on a wide variety of issues.
The lists that seem to work best are the ones that allow the
occasional "fuck you". Followed by, "yeah, well fuck you too." And finally,
"fine, now let's go have a beer."
I have found across the years that most lists have a group of
frequent posters (FPs). These range usually from opinion influencers -- people
that I/we listen to when they speak -- idea generators, to commenters (people
who offer their similar or counter views) as follow up, to those who I would
describe as folks saying "look at me," people interested in being stars or
of controlling the list, and of course the experimenters who launch grenades
to see what happens.
Return to Index