Friends

[papercrane]

The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, Terry Pratchett.


"That's right," he said. "We're philosophers. We think, therefore we am."
-- (Terry Pratchett, Small Gods)

[Agent M]

Oh. Okay. Never heard of it.

*Agent~M*

"Thank you Jack" "Your welcome" "No not you, we named the monkey Jack" -Pirates of the Caribbean
Look closely at your next subway token. And speak to strangers.- SYWTBAW 20th Ed.

[Birdhead]

Oh no! Read it! You'd like it: it's very funny.
T

Tuibird in Aotearoa
Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha!
Spelling Freak and Typo Queen

[papercrane]

Wh-wh-what?!! Hold on--you've read Terry Pratchett right?


"That's right," he said. "We're philosophers. We think, therefore we am."
-- (Terry Pratchett, Small Gods)

[Agent M]

I've heard Terry Pratchett is good... I might try it when I next go to the Library.

*Agent~M*

"Thank you Jack" "Your welcome" "No not you, we named the monkey Jack" -Pirates of the Caribbean
Look closely at your next subway token. And speak to strangers.- SYWTBAW 20th Ed.

[Agent M]

And Papercrane, no I haven't read Pratchett. But I'm going to.

*Agent~M*

"Thank you Jack" "Your welcome" "No not you, we named the monkey Jack" -Pirates of the Caribbean
Look closely at your next subway token. And speak to strangers.- SYWTBAW 20th Ed.

[papercrane]

*in small voice* oh.
*jumping up and down excitedly yelling*
GO! LIBRARY! PRATCHETT! NOW!
Ever read The Hitchhiker's Trilogy? It's like that, but a million times better.


"That's right," he said. "We're philosophers. We think, therefore we am."
-- (Terry Pratchett, Small Gods)

[Rysade]

Originally posted by Birdhead:
Hah. You know, this might just be the least internet safe topic on the boards. Anyone feeling insecure?
T

Yeah, but not in a "worried I'm being stalked" kind of way. It's more like "nobody can trust me," because nobody knows who I am. All the possible scenarios pan out to the basic nature of anonymity on the 'net. Even if I was to meet someone in real life, and turn out to be a nice guy, thereby eliminating the possibility that I'm a psycho-stalker... who's going to guarantee that when, say, Agent M and I meet, and she comes back and says "Hey, Dave's not a psycho-stalker, he's actually kinda cute" ('cause that's what she'd say) that I'm not actually Agent M too?

Trust is always in a losing situation when anonymity and anarchy meet.

"And criminals are used to having people not trust them as you are not trusted by me so I can clearly not chose the wine in front of me!"

papercrane: the mass meeting thing is a brilliant idea. Wonder if that would work?

Hey, I've read Maurice! It was so cool!

[Birdhead]

Partly, people avoid the topic because, it's true, of the anonymity. People do feel a bit didgy about it because bad things do happen. Whatever people are saying might be a lie. Also, I bet it's because sometimes people are worried they're gonna look stupid. "If I meet him/her IRL, they'll hate me... I'm too short/white/preppy/Goth/wierd..." that kind of feeling.

Uh... you're not Agent M, are you? Do you exist? *(has a headache* but it's a good point (though I seriously doubt it. I think we could tell.) I see what you mean about trust, too. It's an interesting idea.

I like papercrane's mass meeting idea too. Works for me...
And yeah, this topic shoudl stay on topic.
T

Tuibird in Aotearoa
Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha!
Spelling Freak and Typo Queen

[Rysade]

[Birdhead]

That first one is a really good point. All I can say is I agree.

The second one and the question: again, a good point. But I disagree. here there is trust: and it's greater trust, because it's all trust. In Real life, it's _not._ Here, everything is trust. When you have a closer net friendship, you have to trust them. it's easier to have not-so-deep friendships on line, but it can be harder to have a real one. I'm friends with you. When my IRL best friend tells me she has a sister, I don't have to trust her: I know she does, because I've met her. By contrast, when you tell me you have a sister, i have to trust you, bcause I've never met her and have no way of knowing if she exists.

I guess that's why net friendships are dangerous: because there is absolute trust, absolute faith, with no confirmation, which means it would be easier to lie to people I guess. I guess that's why the idea of offline meetings is so seductive.
T

Tuibird in Aotearoa
Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha!
Spelling Freak and Typo Queen

[papercrane]

Birdhead: No, nobody exists except me and you. I control everybody! Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha! (I seem to be writing maniacal laughter quite often nowadays...hm. )
Rysade: I love that first paragraph! I read it three times. But--on a board like this, people are nice.
I think it's easier to make friends online because we'd make a lot more friends if we talked to other people more...which we can do here. And if you mess up, well, that's that. I think one could make some pretty solid friendships online...because *warning! warning! cliche!* friendship isn't based on appearance. At the very least, you could befrend people's personas. Which, when you come right down to it, is what we do anyway.


"That's right," he said. "We're philosophers. We think, therefore we am."
-- (Terry Pratchett, Small Gods)

[papercrane]

Birdhead: Yeah...wow. This is turning into 'The Philosophy Thread.' But, GP!


"That's right," he said. "We're philosophers. We think, therefore we am."
-- (Terry Pratchett, Small Gods)

[papercrane]

Oh, I almost forgot--Maurice is THE most awesome book in the universe! At least for now...


"That's right," he said. "We're philosophers. We think, therefore we am."
-- (Terry Pratchett, Small Gods)

[db_pr]

What are you guys talking about?

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean I'm not being followed...