Eva, your description of newcomer's embarrassment seems to me very accurate
for many XMCA newcomers, including myself. However, it is not in the
spirit of our community to make ground for this embarrassment. Let me
explain.
I do not think that there is such a thing as "interruptions" on the xmca
net (and dare to say in the non-virtual world) as an "objective,
"out-there" phenomenon. "Interruptions" are constructive responses to
others' contributions, stressing reluctance to see connections among
actions of different people in the equally fragmented and interconnected
world. People have many needs and reasons to post something on the net.
Some postings seem to get along with others and are considered by some
participants as conversations. Others can't find their interested net
respondents in a given moment (that lasts a day or two until the xmca
people still remember about the message).
I think one of the "beauties" of XMCA that we do not institutionalize "full
participation" and "full participants" (do we?). Some xmca people can be
irritated by the length, frequency, the content, or a lack of messages of
some other xmca participants. But it is still private irritation, not xmca
institutional or communal. Waste for ones is food for others. We all are
newcomers.
Let's keep it that way. What do you think?
Eugene
Eva writes:
>So you are quite right: the entrance ritual doesn't really fit the
>setting,
>as our practices in the informal settings serving as templates for this
>collaborative projection are NOT to step in through the doorway,
>interrupting the conversations by shouting out our CV and errand.
>"Embarrassment" is the effect of a mismatch between a requested
>behaviour
>and expectations projected by the setting.
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Eugene Matusov
Willard Hall Educational Bldg., Room 206G
Department of Educational Studies
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716-2920
Phone: (302) 831-1266
Fax: (302) 831-4445
e-mail: ematusov who-is-at udel.edu
http://www.ematusov.com
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