The Times, they are a-clangin'

[libertango]

If there's something I really miss from The Net circa 1995-98 or so -- and the rest of my life, too, come to think of it, but particularly The Net -- it's the sense of playfulness back then.

Part of why I've been tending to write so Seriously in this LJ is precisely because people don't seem to pick up on playfulness anymore. Nope, things must be interpreted as narrowly and literally as possible.

It's a damned shame, in so many ways.

I suppose I could become a hermit... But as Stoppard would say, a hermit with a dozen magazine subscriptions is not entirely to be trusted.

PS: Please don't affirm this post by saying, in a narrow and literal sense, how wrong I am. Because it would be affirmation, y'know.

Comments

[singingnettle.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting point--and having thought about it, I more or less agree with you.

[jerrykaufman.livejournal.com]

Can I say it in a broad and metaphorical way?

I don;t believe in the power of affirmation, by the way.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Playfulness is a side-effect of community. There's a lot of playfulness on the net, in communities.

I agree that a lot of the old communities are gone, having gotten to large to sustain themselves. But there are new communities.

I don't think it's that bleak. Humans haven't changed.

B

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

Yeah. The playfulness thing is tough, especially with so many people here who don't know each other well enough to get that humor (of some sort) is in use.

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

I agree with you, believe it or else. When did having leisure become a bad thing? Also, when I was doing SeattleFools (an event announcement mailing list) I got pretty dang tired that every party had to be justified by being a "benefit" for something.

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

Giraffes!