From: kruger@math.okstate.edu (Valentine)
Subject: Re: Net "Addiction": a Theory
Organization: The Certifiably Insane [aka Mush wizzes] 
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 18:13:39 GMT

In article [snip] smithrud@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (Carolyn Louise Smithrud) writes:

>
>I agree that network relationships/friendships are one of the best things
>about electronic communication, as long as expectations on both sides are
>similar and the relationships carry themselves out in an unharmful manner.
>I have seen good and bad come out of network relationships.  It depends 
>a lot on the individuals involved.

	This is true, but then that holds true for any sort of
communcation.

>Reading some of the latest responses to this topic, the question people
>seem to be answering is:  Is network communication unhealthy?  I don't
>see a way that anyone could answer yes to this.  We've seen too many
>examples indicating otherwise and I think that's encouraging.  However,
>how about some discussion on:  Does network communcation have the
>POTENTIAL to become unhealthy?  I think people might have some interesting
	
	Yes, it does. It can become very unhealthy, especially if
people neglect themselves to attend to it. But then, that can be
true with any sort of communication, including RL face-to-face. If
you're so obsessed with someone RL you neglect your other friends,
that's unhealthy. If you're so obsessed with someone VR that you
neglect yourself and your other friends, then that's unhealthy as well.

>responses to this whether they speak from experience or use speculation.
>Anyone?  Also, how about network communication that doesn't involve
>friendships?  Consider, for example, the users who use irc, not to make
>friends, but to have a forum for venting steam or getting away with abusive
>language.  There might be some logic to the question of network communication
>being unhealthy if there are individuals who feel they have to use irc or
>muds for reasons like those stated in the previous sentence.  I use the
>word "might" because I'm not sure, but does anyone see anything unhealthy
>in such uses or ones that are similar?  Not all types of partipation in

	I see something very unhealthy, not just in the use but in
the person. Anyone who has to use any forum for abusing others, whether
that forum be irc, VR, mail, local bbs, the telephone....no matter
what, that person is not healthy mentally/emotionally. IMHO, anyone
who feels a need to abuse others isn't doing too great. In a way I'm
greatful that some of these people take this to irc/VR rather than
to RL. In RL you can't just /gag a person or put them in you Kill file.

>network communication are healthy.  I have some personal experiences that
>involve friendships that began through network comm which I found to be
>unhealthy.  I will be happy to relate them via email to anyone who is
>interested.  Another note on the question of whether network comm is 
>unhealthy or has the potential to be:  It seems most people are relating
>whether it has or hasn't been unhealthy to them.  How about the other
>side?  For example, if I'm participating in a form of network comm

	Well, of course there are relationships that are unhealthy,
but once again, that happens everywhere. People can get in bad
relationships without the help of the network.

>that I believe is not unhealthy to me, could it be having an unhealthy
>effect on other people I interact with?

	Aah, that I'll buy. I know someone out there in net-land who
is quite obssessed with me, and what began as some roleplaying has
gotten out of hand on that persons side. However, once again, I think
that while the net aids this it doesn't mean it doesn't happen in
RL.....it's just that the net provides a means for otherwise shy
people to get to know other people to be obssessed over, if that
makes any sense.
 
>Thanks for reading,

>Cari Smithrud 


	Net communciation as a whole isn't unhealthy. It has the
potential to be, as does every other sort of communication. Net
comm. is healthy when people are honest with each other--just as
in RL. I don't really see a case in which it's _more_ unhealthy
for someone than RL, since everything that happens over the
net can, and does, happen RL in terms of misunderstandings. People
lie, pretend to be others, cheat, etc. just as much in RL as they
do VR.

	I, myself, have had only good experiences VR, as I met
someone who is now one of my best friends, even if people
occasionally think I'm her. :)  It's been a really good
experience for me, and I'm not about to give up mushing.

	All of the above is, of course, IMHO.

					C.J.

-- 
kruger@littlewood.math.okstate.edu   |||  "How long can someone wait?
Deirdre@PernMUSH (wiretap.spies.com) |||  Forever's just a little long!"
Delaney@ValdeMUSH (emcnext.tamu.edu) |||      ---Fiona, from BLONDEL
IFGS character of the month: Maria   ||| My opinions. Deal with them.
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