Conference back40::soapbox

    like most technology, the net is a blessing.  but also like most such
    blessings, it is not unmixed.
    
    humans, as a general rule, need interaction with others of their kind. 
    not interaction with a terminal and a batch of email, but intercourse
    (social, you dirty-minded schmeckels) on a face-to-face basis.  the
    touch of a hand, the sight of a smile, these necessities cannot be
    replaced by emoticons.
    
    it has been pretty well recognized that electronic communication tends
    to be more abrasive, and often more ill-considered, than face-to-face
    dialogue.  this is, i think, because one feels somewhat immune to
    reprisal - but more, i'd say, it's because one simply does not
    recognize what one's words do to the recipient.  out of sight really
    does mean out of mind.  you're there, i'm here, and i don't give a
    rat's patootie that what i said hurt you enough to make you cry.  i
    said what i wanted to say, and it's tough noogies if you didn't want to
    hear it.  when you're looking someone in the eye, it's harder to do
    that.
    
    the "me" generation's home is cyberspace.  and i don't much care for
    it.
    
    on the other hand, i rely on cyberspace to accomplish my job, and i do
    also derive much pleasure from my communication through the ether.  i
    have a friend in vienna whom i've never seen (except in photos); i met
    him when he sent me an out-of-the-blue mail message in latin.  i relish
    contacts of that sort.
    
    it's good, and it's bad.  it may well bring out the best and the worst
    in us.

    Dick:
    
    One thing you can say about the innnernet as compared to human contact,
    you can't catch a cold on a modem.

    This AM the Today Show featured people who "fell in love" over the
    net.....must say seemed a tad bizarre to me.  Three of the couples
    featured have gotten married.  A fourth couple got married "on-line"
    :-}
    
    Gives a whole new meaning to "reach out and touch someone" :-} :-}
    
    

    
    I know of three people in the show that told me they met their spouse
    or SO over the 'net, both between different states and between different 
    countries, even.
    
    It's the 90's way.  Why should we be limited to the boy next door?
                              

    .4
    
    > Why should we be limited to the boy next door?
    
    you're not.  from this month's macuser magazine:
    
    ----------
    
    				ADULT CD-ROMS
    FREE CATALOG			     We BEAT any Advertised price!
    INTERACTIVE CDs					    DIGITAL MOVIES
    Vampire's Kiss *NEW* $54 Full Screen Video!   Baby's Got B_tt .... $23
    Maddams Family ..... $42			  Hidden Obsessions .. $23
    Virgins 1&2 *NEW* .. $42 ea	     PHOTO DISCS
    The Barlow Affairs . $35	     Elite American Girls Vols 1&2  $29 ea
    Inferno ............ $35	     Elite European Girls Vols 1&2  $29 ea
    Dream Machine ...... $50
    Virtual Vixens ..... $42	     Virtual 3D Adult Sampler CD ... $9.95
    
    ------------
    
    there's more, but you get the drift.  this is one of 15 such ads in the
    magazine.  reach out and watch a pro.  or two.  whatever.

    Debra:
    
    What Dick doesn't really want to admit is that he subscibes to
    Wrestling magazine and really saw the ads there.  AAAHHAAAAA Dick
    thinks wrestling is real!!!

    
    One point that could be raised here is that the `virtual' contact
    that has been made in Soapbox has led to genuine face-to-face
    interaction between people who might not otherwise have been aware
    of each other (BoxBashes).
    

    
    Have to agree with John in .8
    
    Mark

    <----- I have to agree that you agree with John in .8

    						I agree.	------>

    
    SOMEBODY is surely living up to his new personal_name today.

    Have to agree with John in .8

    > But I can never land completely on one side, so I must also say that I
    > find this kind of virtual community a bit ominous to the extent that it
    > replaces real community, community with the real human interaction, the
    > need for compromise, the dirty day-to-day work of living *in* life, and
    > instead encourages our tendency to flit across the surface, dropping a
    > few bombs or bon mots and then surfing off in search of the next rush.
    
    Brother, do I hear that.  I might have worded it differently, but the
    encouraged tendency bit was right on, and highlights a spectacular
    aspect; there's even a book about it now, something to do with
    flamewars.  I quibble that we aren't replacing real community, we're
    augmenting it; people have always been able to be loners, and that will
    continue; adding another venue for social interaction hasn't removed
    any of the others, just given us more choices and, I suppose, more
    opportunity cost to the choices we make of how we spend our time.  It
    may be easier for loners to avoid people now, hiding the fact even from
    themselves that they're living through their keyboards; and given how
    easy it is, maybe we'll see more of such types.  So everything has its
    costs; the plugged-in social dropouts at least have more interaction,
    less time alone-in-the-head, than did their predecessors; so I'm not as
    worried about the net breeding a new set of mass murderers.
    
    DougO

    
    Well...*I* HAVE to agree with John in .8, or I'd be
    a hypocrite!   :^)
    

I've got a KiloStream stapled to my wall, does that mean I'm part of this
so called `global village' (pass the barf bag, someone)

Chris.

    Betta getta bucket, there's still more.

    
    Gaston!  Another bucket for monsieur.

    And perhaps a hhhhhose....

    
    ...and finally, monsieur, a waffffer-thin mint.
                                            

    Ugh... No, I couldn't eat another thing. I'm absolutely stuffed.

    
    Oh sir, just...just *one*...
    

    f*** off I'm full!

    
    Oh sir... it's only *wafffer* thin.
                              

    Alright then, just one.

    
    Just the one, sir... voila... bon appetit...

    Stttttreeeeeettttcchhhhhh
    
    
    KA-BOOM!!

    I can't agree with .8
    
    There's just one single Boxer I've ever met in real life.
    It would've been more, if the EuroBash hadn't been canceled. 
    
    
    I have a handful of photos and about 2 WWW-homepages, so there are 
    some faces to the names. 
    
    Well, we should perhaps start another pledge.
    
    Heiko

    Wot pledge would that be then?
    
    "I pledge undying loyalty to any & all Kodierwursts, & always to wear
    unwashed Lederhosen..."
    
    Wuz I close?
    
    |-{:-)
    

    
    Errm, was I too arrogant in estimating my command of the English
    language once again ?
    
    I was referring to the great Get-Fat-Boy-Jamie-over-the-pond fund.
    (And I was not serious. One day I'll come and y'all better be ready
    and all that stuff. (ho!ho! included.)
    
    Heiko
    
    

    I'd PAY to see that!!!!!
    
    |-{:-)
    

    .8  maybe not enuf face to face, or in Glen S's case,........oh well.

| <<< Note 294.16 by TROOA::COLLINS "Distributed being..." >>>


| Well...*I* HAVE to agree with John in .8, or I'd be a hypocrite!   :^)

	Joan, you could NEVER be a hypocrite.... :-)

| <<< Note 294.33 by USAT05::WARRENFELTZR >>>


| .8  maybe not enuf face to face, or in Glen S's case,........oh well.

	<grin>.... what r u tryin to say Ron????? :-)

What will the future of the box look like?

Well my guess is that pictures and sound will evolve in the near future.
Sort of the evalution of the talkies in the film industry.

We'll be able to put a face to those characters being typed. I'm not sure this
will help out in Glenn's case though.
 We'll be able to have real arguements instead of cap's. 
Tones of the voice will really change the character of the box.

What are you wearing today will become a fashion show.

	Allan

    
    <-- how very futuristic 8^).
    
    >I'm not sure this
    >will help out in Glenn's case though.
    
    True, we've already seen Glenn, and the general consensus was that he
    is a devastatingly handsome man.  Seeing him in the box every day might
    distract women from their work 8^).

| <<< Note 294.38 by POWDML::LAUER "LC of Inexpressible Rapture" >>>


| True, we've already seen Glenn, and the general consensus was that he is a 
| devastatingly handsome man. Seeing him in the box every day might distract 
| women from their work 8^).

	Oh sure.... when men say men, you want them to include women..... but
give you a chance to RETURN the favor, and what do you do!!?? Hmmmph.... tap
tap tap tap tap.....

    Glen:
    
    My daddy never told me to turn my back, oh well, you know   :-)

| <<< Note 294.40 by USAT05::WARRENFELTZR "Fortius,aka I'm Outta Here!" >>>


| My daddy never told me to turn my back, oh well, you know   :-)

	You straight boyz..... always flattering yourselves.... :-)

    Glen:
    
    I'd rather flatter myself than you... :-0

	DOH!

    
    I'm sorry, Glen...hold on...
    
 
    True, we've already seen Glenn, and the general consensus was that he is a 
    devastatingly handsome man. Seeing him in the box every day might distract 
    women AND men from their work 8^).
                  
    ...should I have said, "Seeing THEM in the box..."?  Since we're
    getting picky and all 8^).

| <<< Note 294.44 by POWDML::LAUER "LC of Inexpressible Rapture" >>>


| True, we've already seen Glenn, and the general consensus was that he is a
| devastatingly handsome man. Seeing him in the box every day might distract
| women AND men from their work 8^).

	MUCH better Deb....

| ...should I have said, "Seeing THEM in the box..."?  Since we're getting 
| picky and all 8^).

	No, Leslie will do..... :-)

    Have cocking board, will travel.
    
    Leslie

	Gotta luv that cocking board! 

    
    Is it anything like bristle board?

| <<< Note 294.48 by POWDML::LAUER "LC of Inexpressible Rapture" >>>


| Is it anything like bristle board?

	I think the proper name would be pubic board..... 

    .37
    
    global village time complete with pictures, huh?  ain't in the future,
    it's here now, at least if you don't need motion.  sound?  on its way.
    
    http://www.zk3.dec.com/~binder/bio.html
    
    for them as wants to see how much of their high-school latin they
    remember, there are latin versions of "jabberwocky" and the first few
    pages of a novel called "with the eagles" under my home page.

    
>>    http://www.zk3.dec.com/~binder/bio.html


	Yeah, so , where's the picture??????   :-)


	Pat

    > Yeah, so , where's the picture??????
    
    didja see a BIG hotspot, like maybe with my name?
    
    didja click on it?
    
    guess that wasn't clear.  i've added a thumbnail to the hotspot so it's
    easier to handle.

    
    .37
    
    Well, so now I'm curious.  I've been wondering all day...since
    Mr.McGregor is so keen on pictures and sound within soapbox, what
    exactly does HE look like?
    
    We're waiting, Mr.McGregor.  We want full details, and not only that,
    don't leave anything out 8^).
    

Well you just met Glenn+.
I've been told that all Canucks look the same. So you must have a pretty
good idea. BTW I only have one personality that I'm aware of.

	Allan

    
    well, after having met both glenn+ and hatashita, i can tell you that
    not ALL canucks look the same...  :> :> :>
    
    

    
    .54
    
    Bzzzzzzzt.  Two minutes for avoiding the question!
    
    
    If you're shy, send me mail 8^).

    .15> may be easier for loners to avoid people now, hiding the fact even from
    > themselves that they're living through their keyboards; and given how
    > easy it is, maybe we'll see more of such types.  So everything has its
    > costs; the plugged-in social dropouts at least have more interaction,
    > less time alone-in-the-head, than did their predecessors; so I'm not as
    > worried about the net breeding a new set of mass murderers.
    
    Jake Baker (see topic 299) being a possible case in point.
    
    DougO

It also eliminates the class structure. I don't believe you can live
on the wrong side of a keyboard.

So the village already has a judge (Komar) is there a mayor and councillor's?

	Allan