Posted by alexandra_k on September 27, 2013, at 21:00:55
In reply to Re: the commons, posted by Dr. Bob on September 26, 2013, at 1:32:18
> > > Incentive was the key?
> > I guess that is the way they tell the story. Being granted / Taking ownership.
> I wonder what ownership here might look like.I guess we need to distinguish between the internet as commons and Babble as commons. I suspect that the internet is more of a commons and Babble is more your private property / your government.
I'm not sure that Babble can be viewed as a commons with your being in control of it.
I think...
We need to allow that social norms / customs spontaneously arise from groups of peoples - the way that common language does. Commons are governed, in a sense. It is just about WHO has control... About... Whether that control mechanism is... Sensitive to shorter vs longer term interests. Sensitive to the needs of all equally vs more sensitive to the needs of some compared to the needs of others. Etc. There are different ways different societies come down on things like that.
I'm starting to think that relying too much on genetic inheritance rather than merit isn't a strategy that works out particularly well... I mean... It served England for a while, but then even England had to adapt to that, rather (the monarchy is figure head these day, really). I think part of the issue with Maaori culture is that roles in society are meant to be determined by birth right... So (for example) the eldest boy is the speaker... And (when all goes well) he takes into account the little voices of others (perhaps those with brains etc) in his ear... But if you get a particularly stupid / incompetent one... You f*ck over a lot of people who rely on him to speak and advocate on their behalf... A better system would be to elect the person most competent to represent the people...
There are problems currently with women not having speaking rights on the Marae... Why would a woman choose to stay with her tribe and be passed over / dismissed when she can (for example) perform exceedingly well in a court of law (for instance)? Why have any kind of loyalty to a tribe who would dismiss / pass you over so?
(I don't know that that actually does happen - but if it did...)
(We have been told to not expect all students to speak up in front of other in tutorial groups because not all of them have been given the role of speaker. But my problem is: Why not train them all to speak and then pick the best ones to represent? Why decide upon birth who must do what? How does that result in the *best speakers*?)
Adapt... Or perish...
A leader turned up for us today. We will see... Part of the issue (for me) is that I just want to be left to do my thing... But... In the interests of the whole anthropology thing... It will be good for me... She comes bearing gifts for all... Wonderful things like dishwashing detergent... I will need to find the place between doing my own thing and doing some mental f*ck*ng mathematics...
Sigh.
These people (people like these) took me into their care when I was 14 years old. Nobody would look after me (get me away from my mother) and... They did. Even though I hated every minute of it (sort of) people people people masses of people... Was an antidote to just me/mom. And they are light-hearted... Whereas I am intense and roundandroundandround in my head...
So...
Smack me on the head sometimes for not being appropriately humble.
I got reading through the archives... And they are shrinking, yeah. A lot less posts than there used to be. How come?
Partly... I suspect the people who used to post here got better. Like Deneb... They have other things to be engaged in that aren't focused around 'mental health'. Partly... I think that you can find things that you get from here distributed around other parts of the internet. Sometimes in the most unlikely of places. I developed some wonderful friendships (where we talked about all kinds of intimate stuff - worked through body image issues and feelings of inferiority etc etc) in the most unlikely of places... this internet forum that was initially set up for people to chat to each other about bodybuilding steroids, of all things...
i think part of it is the decentralization of power thing. the rise of allied health. you are old school in a way... authoritarian... most people don't like that... the would rather take their chances with the commons... and bail to a different group if they don't like what they see. people take people with them... i lost t nation when a bunch of girls objected to the sexualization of women... this whole thing of them posting half naked pictures of their progress then taking offense as people posted 'i'd hit it' etc... they moved to google circles or whatever it is... i didn't go with... but i think people are doing that, more... the internet is the commons... and people set up temporary tents...
i am surprised that there aren't more people like me... i don't know why there aren't. why they aren't still here. i don't know. i need this place, though. i need it to still be here. thank you for not shutting it down and for responding sometimes. everybody here helps me feel less alone. but me... my issues... it means a great deal to me that you are.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:1047868
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20130914/msgs/1051373.html