[iDC] The Ethics of Participation

[Patrick Lichty]

> However, contrary to your reading, I don't have problems with periods of 
silence on this or other lists. In fact, I think that a month of high 
traffic followed by "time out" is rather a sign of a
> maturing network. Traffic alone is not an indication of a lively group. 
Fewer posts once in a while do not mean that subscribers don't read, 
bookmark, or forward posts. There are many
> forms of participation even if not all of them equally contribute to 
communal value. 

I agree.  COnsider the note on Partial Attention and the 24/7 work crisis.  
for example, I have started turning off my cell phone for protracted periods 
of time.  In addition, although I have been blogging pretty prodigiously 
(which were written in bursts, truth be told), I have been relatively silent 
on many of the lists.  This does nto mean I have not been reading much of 
what's going on.

Quite the opposite.  I have been reading, and mulliing, and considering what 
is the best value of a response to myself and the list.  As the percieved 
necessity for production ratchets up more and more, no one should ahve the 
time to write books (I have about 200+ pages written on New Media, but never 
have the time to compile them into a book), do deep research (see 
Stephenson), let alone have a family life or relationships.

This is the intellectual market dialectic as I see it - As more noise 
flourishes, one has to be on lists, blogs, etc constantly - the more the 
better.  On the other hand, this consumes one's life to point where there 
can be nothing but practice.  

It's very much like Trump & Kiyosaki say in their latest book, "We Want You 
to Be Rich" - they have the 24/7 lifestyle, tons of friends, hectic 
schedules, dealing constantly.  This is what they like. A lot of New Media 
people do this too. Mary Flanagan even said recently that she loves what she 
does, does it all the time, but really doesn't have much of a life.  To me, 
this is intellectual Taylorism at its highest, having some medical reasons 
why I can't work 24/7, I dont, even though I may cost me a job here and 
there; I simply can't and won't do it anymore.    

Maybe I'm a bit more on Stephenson's side - being more precious with one's 
time keeps you sane. I love writing, visiting, talking, but I just can't do 
more than 50 hr/wk without requiring a 2-3 week crash every 4 months of it.    

I love this list, and think it's one of the best in our field.  However I 
apologize for not being more active - it isn't that I don't care, it's that 
I'm in my first year at a new institution, and it's taking a lot of my time.

Peace, everyone.
Patrick Lichty
Columbia College, Chicago