Jesse, l know what you mean, and I also think it's clear.

And Beverly ROCKS!

Oh geez, guys. Damned allergies.

Really. Thanks.

But you know I wouldn't be here if the Phoenix and the Buffistas were not da Bomb, right?

I'm sure there are other online communities that are -- what? Quirky? Intelligent? Funny? Erudite? Articulate? Hmmmm, heading into maybe-not land there. But we're all that and a wrodload of chips.

As long as the people who click "recent" know I'm not trying to bust on them.

As long as the people who click "recent" know I'm not trying to bust on them.

Like they'd care, with your unholy devotion to the number 50.

It should be a reflection of my true devotion to this community that I accept 42 as The Will of The People, if an imperfect number.

Does it reflect badly on my sci-fi knowledge that I only just realised that We The Buffistas picked the answer to life, the universe, and everything as our One True Number?

FWIW, I have a deep and abiding respect and appreciation for Beverly, and recently realized that I don't think I've ever told her that. Now seems like a good time.

I'm not surprised at the disagreement to my position. YCitizenshipMV. I'd go into it more, but I don't imagine I'll change many people's opinion. I can, however, get the oil in my car changed, which is where I'm off to.

I'd just like to say that I really appreciate connie's voice of egalitarianism. It's often a single clear note in counterpoint to whatever discussion happens to be in progress. It always gives me a thought-check, a chance to rethink my position relative to the prevailing opinion. I wish I could be as fair-minded, but I'm too fearful of upset and change to be that open to everyone. But I'm really glad connie is.

I am starting to realize that one of the unaddressed issues here is that not all of us see ourselves--meaning the Board--in the same way at all. And that the primary metaphors we use to define the group affect the way we see it & how we want it to operate.

By registering, this makes the person a citzen of the Phoenix. If one doesn't want to be enfranchised, one remains a lurker. All citizens have rights.

Many people here see us as a government, whereas it drives me utterly insane to hear the board described in that way. To me, the difference between a democratic government and a PRIVATE, self-run online community are self-evident, and I probably piss some folks off because of that assumption. In my view, what keeps a government vital is not necessarily what will keep a community like ours vital. So I feel like most of the times I am butting heads with someone in Bureaucracy, it is over this specific definition of the community.

I am not saying that I am right and they are wrong. Far from it. I am saying that I can now better see that *this* definition is at the heart of that disagreement. And I hope that by knowing it, I can better address it the next time it comes up.

You know, I just sort of realized: I view Buffistas as a (very large) family of siblings, or a giant polyamorous marriage, rather than as some kind of town.

I’m not sure I agree (I have not thought through the metaphors yet), but I certainly prefer them because at least they address the importance placed on interpersonal relationships here and the issue of desire--and in particular the possibility of competing desires--that often drive the discussions here.