Comments for Rhwng: the Point Between (journal-blog) http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com Online 'journal' supplement to the live meetings of this society Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:23:24 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on The Great Good Place by John http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/the-great-good-place/#comment-8 John Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:23:24 +0000 http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/the-great-good-place/#comment-8 I think virtual social platforms tend to work on a fairly trivial and superficial level, or perhaps that is just the way they are usually implemented? Texting for example doesn't really facilitate any depth of communication. It tends to provide either a reassurance for a society which is increasingly over-cautious about travel within 'real' social spaces eg 'I'm on the train', 'I landed safely'. Or it works on a purely practical level for arranging meetings etc. Blogs however have real potential! John I think virtual social platforms tend to work on a fairly trivial and superficial level, or perhaps that is just the way they are usually implemented? Texting for example doesn’t really facilitate any depth of communication. It tends to provide either a reassurance for a society which is increasingly over-cautious about travel within ‘real’ social spaces eg ‘I’m on the train’, ‘I landed safely’. Or it works on a purely practical level for arranging meetings etc.
Blogs however have real potential!

John

]]> Comment on The Great Good Place by fionaowen http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/the-great-good-place/#comment-7 fionaowen Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:56:33 +0000 http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/the-great-good-place/#comment-7 However, just to balance my previous point, I do think it is worth remembering that technology has allowed us to reach across distance and communicate/explore ideas and issues with others; as we are doing here, John, in this 'conversation' that we might not have had otherwise (so thanks for 'commenting'!). In this way, technology is the opposite of being alienating -? It would seem to be a facilitator. 'Con-vers-ation': to turn with (poet Paul Matthews reminded me of this meaning). We are turning our thinking over and around between us and this I find helpful as a form of deepening my understanding. I see this weblog (and my personal weblog) as a means of engaging more fully with, and co-creating, 'community'. I guess we exist now in many communities and this seems to me to be an enrichment. We are 'self-among-others' and, for me, my 'self' is deepened and expanded through relationship and the many communities that help make a 'self'.* So if technology helps to extend community and exploration and general friendliness, then great! As with all things, getting the balance right is what would seem to matter (that 'rhwng' thing!). Diolch John! *This includes relationship with other human beings but also with non-human beings (animals, the natural world) and also with the ongoing adventure and mystery of indwelling 'life'. However, just to balance my previous point, I do think it is worth remembering that technology has allowed us to reach across distance and communicate/explore ideas and issues with others; as we are doing here, John, in this ‘conversation’ that we might not have had otherwise (so thanks for ‘commenting’!). In this way, technology is the opposite of being alienating -? It would seem to be a facilitator. ‘Con-vers-ation’: to turn with (poet Paul Matthews reminded me of this meaning). We are turning our thinking over and around between us and this I find helpful as a form of deepening my understanding.

I see this weblog (and my personal weblog) as a means of engaging more fully with, and co-creating, ‘community’. I guess we exist now in many communities and this seems to me to be an enrichment. We are ’self-among-others’ and, for me, my ’self’ is deepened and expanded through relationship and the many communities that help make a ’self’.* So if technology helps to extend community and exploration and general friendliness, then great! As with all things, getting the balance right is what would seem to matter (that ‘rhwng’ thing!).

Diolch John!

*This includes relationship with other human beings but also with non-human beings (animals, the natural world) and also with the ongoing adventure and mystery of indwelling ‘life’.

]]> Comment on The Great Good Place by fionaowen http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/the-great-good-place/#comment-6 fionaowen Sat, 04 Aug 2007 16:58:31 +0000 http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/the-great-good-place/#comment-6 Hi John, Yes, interesting. I guess time will tell in terms of whether this kind of 'virtual' social interaction produces healthy, whole and humane human beings or not. I think it is important, though, to remember that we are embodied beings and not just talking heads. We learn hugely from the direct experience of others, from dwelling with. I heard that the trend with freshers now is, when they first meet, to exchange e-addresses and then proceed to introduce themselves and chat to their peers online rather than face to face -? Does this mean that people will end up only being able to talk with others via a machine? A disturbing thought! Hi John,

Yes, interesting. I guess time will tell in terms of whether this kind of ‘virtual’ social interaction produces healthy, whole and humane human beings or not. I think it is important, though, to remember that we are embodied beings and not just talking heads. We learn hugely from the direct experience of others, from dwelling with.

I heard that the trend with freshers now is, when they first meet, to exchange e-addresses and then proceed to introduce themselves and chat to their peers online rather than face to face -? Does this mean that people will end up only being able to talk with others via a machine?

A disturbing thought!

]]> Comment on The Great Good Place by John http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/the-great-good-place/#comment-5 John Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:24:04 +0000 http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/the-great-good-place/#comment-5 It occured to me after that the so-called 'digital native' generation do most of their social networking in virtual third places, via the gamut of so-called 'Web 2.0' products - Facebook, MySpace, SecondLife, YouTube etc. What are the implications of this? It occured to me after that the so-called ‘digital native’ generation do most of their social networking in virtual third places, via the gamut of so-called ‘Web 2.0′ products – Facebook, MySpace, SecondLife, YouTube etc. What are the implications of this?

]]> Comment on Harmony and Authentic Human Beings by Jane Williams http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com/2007/06/26/poem-by-meredith-andrea/#comment-4 Jane Williams Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:14:26 +0000 http://fionarhwng.wordpress.com/2007/06/26/poem-by-meredith-andrea/#comment-4 Thank you for the opportunity to join in, with love Jane Thank you for the opportunity to join in, with love Jane

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