What I Want From Usenet

From: Jaffo <jaffo@onramp.net>
Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 21:14:35 -0500

WHAT I WANT FROM USENET

Having been gone from Usenet for so long, I forgot just how shallow, insipid,
and rude this place can be.  When I'm not careful, it even brings out the
worst in me.

I get frustrated because I want more from Usenet than it really can give.

I remember when I first got on the net.  I read alt.religion.kibology because
it seemed friendly and it seemed to attract the kinds of people I admire.  And
every now and then, someone would just open up and talk about their day.
Somebody in Boston or Canada or North Carolina would list what they bought at
the grocery store or talk about the weather.  This just seemed magical to me.

Ark represented all the thousands of totally unique people in the world that
don't wear boots or cowboy hats and would not consider a pickup truck a family
vehicle.

At a time when all my old friendships were dropping away, these snippits of
personal information reminded me of the good ol' days in high school.  I find
something incredibly romantic about driving through big city streets in the
middle of the night, surrounded by new friends.  Talking about philosophy and
coffee, watching the bright lights on the big buildings, thinking that
somewhere, something _important_ was happening.

I wanted to meet people from strange places.  I wanted to hear stories about
Canadian Taco Bells and Ivy League campuses.  I wanted to read posts about big
cities and mundane friendship rituals.  I think my favorite posts are "slice
of life" things where people talk about what happened at Lab today, or just
put up their grocery lists for all the world to read.

These kinds of things make me feel close to people.  They make the world seem
small and warm and friendly.  When I read things like this, it makes me
realize that the world is made up of people just like me.   They make me feel
like I could move to any city in the world and find friends.  They make me
feel like a big community of writers and artists and students, just grinding
through their degree programs, trying to make ends meet.

And most of all, they remind me that in the midst of all these hicks,
goofballs, drunkards and weirdos, there are still people out there that care
about writing.  There are still people out there who can spend a whole evening
talking about the future of the human race, or funny things they saw in
clouds, or what aliens would say if they could look down on us.

I want to spend time with people who argue about the existence of God.  What
he looks like, what he feels, where he lives.  I want to talk about Angels and
Devils and Time and Reality.  I want to dream about the future and all the
wonderful things my kids will have.

I want to have conversations with people that smack their foreheads and say,
"Hey, Jaffo, that's really cool!  I never would have thought of that."  I want
to rise out of this narrow little dustbucket town and spend some time with
people that understand me.

I want to feel lost in a big world, then narrow down the focus and feel at
home again.  I want to hear stories from people I don't understand.  I want to
participate in conversations I can't predict.  I want to be surrounded by
people who surprise me and make me laugh.

I want to be in a room where I feel totally comfortable and at ease, knowing
that whatever I say, someone will understand.

I want to sit in the Mall drinking coffee, making fun of the people that walk
by.  I want to kick back in somebody's living room with the tv off, making up
stories that may never be written.

I want to laugh at bad in-jokes and listen to amateur music.  I want to spend
a Saturday night with people who don't have to get drunk to be human.

I just want to know that somewhere out there someone understands what I think.

I get frustrated with usenet because it really could be that way.  These
little newsgroups could be islands of humor and compassion, filled with
tidbits of mundane truth.

I want a little community where people support each other and encourage each
other.  A place where they think twice about being rude or crude or unkind.  I
guess that makes me a Kook.  I guess I'm pining for my own little Neutopia.

I think that's what Andy wants.  I think that's what he's been trying to build
for so long.  He tries to tie it together with little in-jokes and web pages,
but that's all just window dressing.  What he really wants is a little cyber
community where people all over the world talk to each other like close
friends.

Usenet could be that way, if we let it.  Just let our hair down, lower the
defenses.  Put aside the personas and insecurities and just talk about what it
means to be people.

Don't hide our weaknesses from each other.  Reveal them.  Support them.  Lend
strength.

I don't think it can really happen.  Too many people are having too much fun
being assholes.  I mean, let's face it.  Nobody responds to positive,
revealing posts.  Nobody is willing to let their hair down and be vulnerable
in such a public place.

Not when the Net is filled with so many people who look for easy targets just
to make themselves feel better.  There's no real way to seperate the adults
>from  the children, is there?

Shit.  I guess I'm gonna have to pay 30 bucks a month to The Well.

Jaffo

On Larry King Live, Marlan Brando made the shocking statement that
Hollywood is "run by Jews."  In response, outraged Jewish groups made it
snow in New York in April. - http://rampages.onramp.net/~jaffo