ANST - Good rules of thumb in this modern age.

[Bryon Byers]

Greetings All,

    Out of Personae for just a moment I would just like to share with
everyone who might still be getting used to this modern age of such speedy
communication and correspondence. For the time I have been online, which
goes all the way back to text Bulletin Board Services I have found these
rules of thumb, have helped immensely.

1. If I come across something that offends me or makes me angry, I yell and
scream rant and rave, because I am human ( I do not reply immediately). Then
I re-read what was written slowly and carefully to ensure it says what I
think it says.

2. I sometimes have to play my own Devil's Advocate and remind myself, that
with this form of communication there is nothing other than words and
punctuation to convey another person's views and meanings. Were I to talk to
this person either via Telephone or person to person, I have SO MUCH more
information at my disposal to decipher their idea or views. Such as;
Inflection, Volume, Attitude, Body Language, etc. While this media restricts
much of this. It also leaves the message that is trying to be conveyed to
much interpretation by the recipient.

3. This media is So convenient. It allows us to send messages to one another
at such speeds over great distances. [when the Internet Gods are pleased
:) ] This is in some ways a major drawback to this. For we have the
opportunity to respond to things while we are EXCITED about them. We are
human beings and we have emotions, it is what makes us human. When people
get mad ( which everybody in the world has been mad at least once in their
life) they might say something they might not mean, or really REGRET after
they clam down or are informed that they misinterpreted what was being said.
So if something offends, I take time to think about a response and reply
after I have calmed down, if a reply is really necessary at all.

4. I have also found that there are quite a few people online (not everyone
but a few), sometimes tend to say ALOT more than they would ever say in
person, and thus usually being quite crass at times. I call this the
"Online-loss-of-Tact" Syndrome. It is something folks new to the internet
need to be aware of.

So in short, I think we should try to understand where the other person is
coming from, for if we do not we have no way of communicating effectively.
Also, if after that you must make a reply that is retaliatory or reactive,
try to ensure that your message cannot be taken any other way, re-reading
your reply and what you are replying to a few times. Definitely try to reply
after your emotions are not at their peak.

And the big one: Once you have sent out a message in such a form as this
(written, and this forum being viewed by so many people), you have just
plastered the sign to your forehead, you better be ready to wear it. Because
neither Crow nor Foot tastes good.

I'm terribly sorry for this rambling, I felt compelled to post this after
the past few months of message content on the list. I thank you ever so much
for your time, I now return you to your regularly scheduled Middle Ages.

Vivat Rex!
Vivat Regina!
Vivat Ansteorra!

In Service to Ansteorra and The Dream,
Magnus von Mendersham

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