Theos-Talk Archives (January 2003 Message tt00016)

Paul wrote in part:

<My hypothesis: in "real life" people are quite secure in their "place" and
interactions are rooted in mutual understanding of where others are
"placed." Whereas in Internet fora, people are existentially insecure about
their own "place" in the world, and therefore pathologically obsessed with
putting strangers in "their place" so as to maintain some kind of internally
imagined pecking order. (E.g. BAG has *got* to be defined as a dugpa to
maintain some kind of stability in our Danish member's mental universe,)>


Hi Paul. One other possibility, which strikes nearer to home for me, might
be that in our "normal" lives we exercise more control over which people
with whom we interact -- especially about matters of the heart which could
include love and/or spiritual interests. We gravitate toward people and
groups that reinforce our world-view. We may even avoid and seek to censure
people and groups that threaten our understanding.

On lists such as this one, just by maintaining an active membership, we are
servicing a need to remain open and hear more than our own echo returning --
even while others on the list agitate to make the on-line environment more
like their own neighborhood, i.e., comfortable with a well established and
clearly understood pecking order. It could be that these lists do have
pecking orders, but certainly, as you say, such hierarchies exist as
figments of each members mental constructs. While there are some members of
every list in which I participate whose posting mannerisms repulse me such
that I could not imagine having a courteous breakfast conversation with
them, there are many others whose posts give me cause for serious
contemplation. You are certainly in this latter group and I appreciate your
efforts to BE here despite the fact that you are a lightening rod for
certain individuals' aggressions acted out in the name of universal
brotherhood. However, if you keep in mind that scores of silent observers
may note your daily interactions on these lists, your resilience and
determination to ask questions and be heard on issues of the heart becomes
more important than the thickness of your skin.

regards,

Bill