Greetings

[the_wise_observer]

I am not sure what to say, as I never post introductions in forums. Ever.

 

Since there are post requirements on certain boards I have no choice but to increase my post count +1. The whole thing seems completely pointless because I hate creating meaningless posts, and introductions are, IMHO, meaningless.

 

Um... anyway... hello. And um.. I guess I'm excited to be here?

 

Thank you.

[freeztar]

Welcome to Hypography!

 

The introduction post serves two purposes. First, it keeps spam bots from bombarding the site with ads. It also gives us a chance to relate with you before you start posting. For example, you might have said something like, "I joined these forums because I'm very interested in Astronomy and hope to learn more". Then, you might have people replying with greetings and pointing you in the direction of relevant threads. As pointless as it may *seem*, it helps us cut down on spam and allows us to get to know the people signing up a little better.

 

So, what brought you here?

[CraigD]

Welcome to hypography, TWO.

 

In addition to the utilitarian reasons freeztar mentions, there’re philosophical school policy reasons for and against encouraging introductions, profile information, and other “personalization” of forum members. These different schools speak to, IMHO, the all-important question of what the internet is all about.

 

One school holds that the internet is all about anonymity, and that the free and unbiased exchange and consideration of ideas is enhanced by the absence of the usual social prejudices, assumptions, conventions, and controls. This school seeks to obscure information about the human beings behind the ideas, via such means as pseudonymous user names, the encouraging of single humans beings appearing to be many (multiple user accounts) and/or many appearing to be one (collaboratives).

 

The opposite school holds that the internet is all about emulating ordinary society, should be essentially an enhanced extension of it, and that its prejudices, assumptions, conventions, and controls are important to its effective functioning. This school attempts to implement the nearest possible equivalents of face-to-face social interactions, via such means as introductions, profiles, avatars and reputation schemes. Extreme, optimistic factions of this school hold that internet society can build on and enhance ordinary social mechanics – that, via technology, it’s possible for people to know more, more accurate, and more intimate personal information about each other, and be in a real sense better than pre-telecommunication society.

 

Hypography is, I think, closer to the “emulating” than the “anonymous” school. Though, for obvious reasons of safety – anyone can anonymously visit and read these forums – a basic degree of privacy must be maintained, we like to know the real personality and identities of our members, and are somewhat uncomfortable with secretive people, as one would be with a realspace physical visitor to your home who refuses to identify himself, or express his essential beliefs, sentiments, and agendas.

 

Personally, I find this school a better match with my personal social instincts and preferences. While some degree of secrecy and even trickery can be rhetorically and educationally effective, I feel that openness and honesty is, ultimately, the better approach.

[alexander]

are somewhat uncomfortable with secretive people

Yeah, like me :hyper:

Yeksiemacz

 

I would tend to agree with Craig. We respect people that want to remain anonymous, however we encourage people to be open, to some extent. Here's the problem i see very oftenly, you get into a debate with someone, if you know that someone and have an approximate profile of the person, it is much easier to cater what you are trying to say to a person you have some idea about, then a wall with a person behind it... Ofcourse over time we will find your tendencies, interests, etc, but the point of the intro post is to just briefly describe what kind of a person you are. Where on a lot of other sites identity does not matter (and i know a few, and i attend a couple), here, sometimes identity is as important as the statements one makes. If i throw out a quote like "You will be my boyfriend?", you may have a hard time coping with me, because you may be uncomfortable with such statements, whereas knowing a little about the kind of person i am, you would immediately know its a joke of some sort...