08 Oct 1996 10:31:17 -0400 (EDT) 08 Oct 1996 10:31:15 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 08 Oct 1996 10:26:34 -0400 From: Wojtek Sokolowski Subject: Re: Self-Moderation To: psn@csf.colorado.edu Since I'm one of the more frequent contributors to this list, taking sides in this debate would be a bit disingenuous, if not self-serving. Two points seem in order, however. First, as MW correctly observed, being subscribed to both PSN and PSN_CAFE doubles the volume of e-mail, as duplicate messages are being sent out. While un-subscribing to one of these two lists is an obvious and easy solution within the reach of every member of this list -- the "unsubscribe" messages do cerate a perception of people leaving the auditorium, thus the discussion being "boring." This brings us to the second point, namely a false analogy between an internet discusion group and a conversation. While both are communicative acts, their dynamics are very much different. While leaving the face-to-face conversation in the middle by one interlocutor does send a negative signal to the other one, unsubscribing from a discussion list does not. Discussion groups are like market places, one comes there, but is not obliged to buy something from evey vendor, or even show interests in every vendor's wares. Even if one leaves the marketplace without buying anything, this does not mean anything about the vendors or the marketplace itself. Unsubscribing is not like leaving the auditorium in the middle of the lecture or a discusion, it is like leaving a marketplace. The main reason is that unlike in the auditorium, where only some have the right to talk while all others have the implicit obligation to listen or at least display rituals of attention, such as facing the speaker, refraining from talking, not sleeping, at least not overtly, etc. everyone can "talk" i.e. contribute to a discussion group, while nobody have thge obligation to "listen" (the famous "delete" key). The debates over "censorship" (actual or perceived) seem to be endemic to most internet lists I am familiar with. It seems, however, that sociologists who professionally analyze acts of communication could use that knowledge self-reflexively, to their own speech acts. PS. What is the rationale of maintaining two seprate lists that, for the most part, duplicate one another? regards, wojtek sokolowski institute for policy studies johns hopkins university baltimore, md 21218 sokol@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu voice: (410) 516-4056 fax: (410) 516-8233 +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | When I hear the words 'family values,' I reach for my revolver. | | (no apologies to Hermann Goering) | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+