Connie-- I think maybe you are equating social = friends, which is not always true-- you could compare it to dorm life or something.
I read the meritocracy argument as ita did.
Whatever happened to the still beating heart of a virgin? No one has any standards anymore.
Giles ,'Lies My Parents Told Me'
Bureaucracy 2: Like Sartre, Only Longer
A thread to discuss naming threads, board policy, new thread suggestions, and anything else that has to do with board administration and maintenance. Guaranteed to include lively debate and polls. Natter discouraged, but not deleted.
Current Stompy Feet: ita, Jon B, DXMachina, P.M. Marcontell, Liese S., amych
Sophia Brooks - Jul 02, 2003 2:05:42 pm PDT #2834 of 10005
Cats to become a rabbit should gather immediately now here
Jessica - Jul 02, 2003 2:07:14 pm PDT #2835 of 10005
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
What was interesting to me about the tension in Bureaucracy in May was that I skipped it.
Aha!
(Sorry, just figured out why I was so lost -- I never skip or skim this thread, and I just could not remember any tension in May, so I thought I was going crazy. But David's post reminded me that I was in England during that whole thing, and only read it afterwards in one big chunk. Carry on.)
Sophia Brooks - Jul 02, 2003 2:08:02 pm PDT #2836 of 10005
Cats to become a rabbit should gather immediately now here
some people are more equal than others
this is what bothers me about meritocracy-- I find my self imagining us in some Buffista version of animal farm chanting " Old Hat good, New Hat BAAAAAAAD." , like the sheep.
Connie Neil - Jul 02, 2003 2:09:01 pm PDT #2837 of 10005
brillig
Social does not always equal friends, true. I remain unconvinced on the meritocracy.
DavidS - Jul 02, 2003 2:14:55 pm PDT #2838 of 10005
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
I remain unconvinced on the meritocracy.
How about if we call it..."respect"? People earn respect. People that are more respected are given leeway and entrusted with more power.
Connie Neil - Jul 02, 2003 2:16:48 pm PDT #2839 of 10005
brillig
I'm all for the respect. So long as it's not quantified and people don't start sidling up to each other and saying "My respect's bigger than yours." Unless it's Saturday night, we're in a sleazy roadhouse, and everyone's drunk.
§ ita § - Jul 02, 2003 2:20:06 pm PDT #2840 of 10005
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
So long as it's not quantified and people don't start sidling up to each other and saying "My respect's bigger than yours."
I don't know what would make people suddenly start doing that -- Allyson's position (I'm interpreting here, while she's off cavorting with scientists) is that it's always existed. And your worry hasn't always been happening.
At least, not where I've read.
Consuela - Jul 02, 2003 2:22:11 pm PDT #2841 of 10005
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix
So long as it's not quantified
Yah. And so long as it doesn't translate to, oh, special privileges, you know? By which I mean quantifiable objective rights that do not inhere to other members of the community. Which is the difference between someone cutting you some slack on a bad day because they've known you a long time, and getting to sit in the first class cabin because you were here first.
I don't want any first class cabins at B.org.
Does that make sense?
§ ita § - Jul 02, 2003 2:23:09 pm PDT #2842 of 10005
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
What benefits do we have that we can hand out, Consuela?
DavidS - Jul 02, 2003 2:23:53 pm PDT #2843 of 10005
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
So long as it's not quantified
I think we dismissed the notion of quantifying it a long time ago.
and people don't start sidling up to each other and saying "My respect's bigger than yours."
I think that just falls into cheesy behavior. Unless it's...Respect Mah Authoritah! It would be a good way to lose respect in our culture. Not that I'm keeping score or anything.
hides notebook behind back