Michael’s Comments (group member since Nov 18, 2010)

Michael’s comments from the The Extra Cool Group! (of people Michael is experimenting on) group.

I agree with what you're saying about message boards. But, from my experiences in both Second Life and WoW, those spaces are definitely communities as well. Second Life isn't actually a game at all, as there's no objective other than exploration and personal interaction. I've heard it described by a couple SL members as a "glorified chatroom." Smaller collectives spring up over specific interests, which are often reflections of those people's real life interests. Jazz lounges over there attract groups of people who are interested in jazz, equestrian places attract people who like horses, etc.

WoW is surprisingly similar. The communities there are gamers, who talk about both the substance of WoW itself, and also other games, politics, etc. I think certain aspects of the game dynamic make it more difficult to form a tight-knit community, but I would argue that, because of the interactivity, communities are at work within the game.

So, I think these terms express an idea of what it is to be a "virtual space." But, you raise some major issues with seeing these as related to communities....unless goodreads (and other message boards) actually meet these three criteria.

And, maybe we should add a fourth term to what is required for community: regulars. If some of the same people don't continue returning, I have trouble seeing it as a community.

So, I still haven't taken a class where I can use all of our discussions of goodreads reviews as a genre. BUT! I'm working on two different projects related to goodreads this semester, so I do plan on rolling out some more new topics very soon. This is the first of them.

I'm taking a course where we've been researching virtual communities, most of the research revolving around World of Warcraft and Second Life. Question part one: do you view goodreads as a "virtual community," and if so (or not), why?

Our working definition of virtual community in the course suggests three elements are needed for a virtual space to be a community:
1. Avatars (a representation of yourself in digital form)
2. Spatiality (a virtual space that can be moved around in)
3. Persistence (changes continue effecting the space after you leave it)

Question part 2: Do you feel these goodreads meets these criteria? In what ways are we disadvantaged when it comes to community building when compared to a space like World of Warcraft? What advantages do we have over those spaces?

As always, expound and pontificate as much as you desire.

See the difference?

I do see the fucking difference.

Thanks for joining, Cass! Look forward to getting to know you.

I started a new thread! Come join the party! It's called "No Black Men in Second Life." I promise, it's where all the cool people are now.

But are there black women? Or men of other races/ethnicities? Is it just black men that are missing?

Well, there's a noticeable lack of most ethnic groups, although I've seen some Asian women. I remember seeing one black woman, and haven't seen anyone who specifically looked like they were part of any other ethnic group...other than vampire, werewolf, or furry. So, it's not just black men that are missing...like you mention, the players and makers of Second Life may see white as a "standard."

@Velvetink, I think there are definitely fewer black programmers than white. But, I know of a couple people on there who are black but have white avatars. (I don't know them personally, just know OF them.) So, while I think you're right, it also seems that at least most of the black designers are choosing to be white.

...since the darker the skin, the less positive the experience of the environment tends to be.

That's something I hadn't thought about! Studies have shown that in World of Warcraft players tend to be nicer and more helpful to female avatars...I wonder how noticeable prejudices are in online environments?

So, I'm doing research in Second Life right now, and let me tell you things are bizarre over there. Everybody's young and hot and half-dressed and white....it's like Eugenicsville mixed with Baywatch. But, the most fascinating phenomenon I've noticed...or one of them, anyway....is this: NO BLACK GUYS. None. You can't buy black guy skin unless you try really hard to find it. I wanted to be a black dude--feel free to psychoanalyze me--and I COULDN'T, and I was PISSED, so instead I became a big robot dragon, and this is what I look like dancing at my favorite punk club:


Anyway, the Big Question I'm getting to is this: Why is it that, in an environment where race HAS ABSOLUTELY NO SOCIAL REPERCUSSIONS, does everyone decide to be white?

I'm sorry, everybody....I've been so busy I've barely been on Goodreads. I'll look over the questions, though, and see if I can think of any we still need to talk about.

Like Jim said, I'll occasionally buy a new book for an author I especially want to support, especially if that author is a lesser-known one. But, I get about half of my books from the library and get most of the rest second hand. Finding space for books isn't a big concern, because I usually give away books after I finish them. All of my books fit on a set of shelves in our office, and if that shelf is too full to fit more books, I don't buy any.

Welcome! Good to have you!

Then again, I may have just set him up and will incur his wrath—casting me out of the Cormac McCarthy fan club,

Well, I suppose you can stay in, as long as you can verify the secret handshake and recite the pledge.

Actually, that's a term I hadn't encountered yet. But, it's definitely something I've noticed in both McCarthy's work and in poetry--both writing it and reading it.

I got out of bed
on two strong legs.
It might have been
otherwise. I ate
cereal, sweet
milk, ripe, flawless
peach. It might
have been otherwise.

There's a visual difference when you're looking at a poem; there's also a visual difference when you're looking at the page of a Cormac McCarthy book (compared to the page of an author who uses normal punctuation). I find his punctuation decisions make the reading go faster for me, and in the dialogue I VERY RARELY have issues with following who is talking--after all, it's McCarthy's job, if he's not going to use quotations, to make it damned clear who is talking.

Poetry usually baffles me—why the hell can't they (the poets) just say whatever it is they believe they have to say?

Do you believe the goal of the prose writer is also to just say whatever they have to say? A lot of my favorite writings are open to interpretation.

Well, it looks like this was my very first review on here. It could be worse, and later on the same day I wrote some that were much less informative.

Wow, that is bizarre.

Playing devil's advocate, Angel, one of my friends who was going to have a book published sent me an email copy more than a month before the book came out. Granted, I didn't get a chance to read it before the release date anyway..but, just because it hasn't been released doesn't mean they haven't really read the book.

LOL, I think that's an understatement, Mike! That was an epic debate.

I've started some arguments, expressed opinions that created distance with a couple of Goodreads friends, and written some lousy reviews as well. But, I can't think of anything I regret--I think if I didn't speak my mind, I'd regret it more than speaking my mind and dealing with the consequences.

And everyone has some bad reviews. Right?

I got in a fairly heated, fairly long-lasting argument about the book Twilight in this debate group I used to be mildly active in. I thought the thread was specifically for Twilight haters, so I was making fun of that shitty book hardcore. And, surprise surprise, turns out some people on this website liked that book.

So, I then got in a fairly heated argument, where I was explaining in a way that was probably pretty mean, my reasons for thinking it was a lame ass-wipe of a book....god, I can't even help it, apparently...while others were getting offended, and asking why I had any write to say whether the writing sucked or not.

I can't remember how the whole thing ended, but that's probably the most heated argument I've been involved in on here. Everything else has stayed friendly, and the only troll I've had bowed out of the exchange pretty quickly.

I've got a nice little collection of those!

I enjoy giving bad reviews just as much as giving good ones--if a book was a waste of my time, I want to be especially clear in saying why. I can drool all over a book by Toni Morrison or Margaret Atwood, and say they write amazingly, but it's just as valid to me when someone discourages a writer like Ann Coulter or....uhhh.....other sucky writers....from being read.

my dad is on here

Ah, that explains the stark lack of profanity, and the general inoffensiveness of your every comment. Do you find yourself less likely to say cunt or fucktard with him on here?

I think the biggest effect for me is the audience that I don't have. I mean on myspace I'm dealing with a couple of exes and a lot of religious people.

Ah, that's a good point, and I agree. I worry that coworkers might stumble across my Facebook profile, so I keep it fairly mild-mannered. But, I feel fairly safe from the Muggles on here, so I can really let my pants down. Uhh, hair down.

I've heard rumor my mom is joining the site to read my reviews...guess I'll find out whether that changes anything.