Funny, really, the way etiquette, courtesy, habit and tradition go together to dictate the way you live your life. I think it's particularly important that I use the word "dictate" because it takes a hell of an effort to defy the tradition. Internet conversations are just a small part of that.
So I'm sometimes awkward with new people on the internet, especially if they're shy. But I'm an affectionate person, I just bring this on gradually. As I get to know someone, the more I speak to them - but more importantly, the more they respond and when they respond positively - the more I use endearments and signs of affection. So for someone I've just met, my greeting will be "Hey" or "Hi", after a while I may use a few x's, then after a while a love heart (*gasp*) and if they're comfortable with it, then eventually I use words like "honey", "sweetie" and "love" (Leonidas, you player, you...)
I balance my hypocorisms, too. (Lovely word that refers to endearing terms like the ones above.) If I've used an endearing term then I don't add a heart, or if I've used a heart and an x then I don't use a hypocorism.
There was a point to this. This is just a small example, but I'm under the dictation of conversational etiquette, as are many others. Or, to put it more simply, I do the same things when I'm talking to people. Here's an example you'll be familiar with:
Every internet conversation usually starts the same banal way, and can be mapped out like this:
A: Hello
B: Hello
A: How are you?
B: -Response- How are you?
A: -Response- What are you doing?
B: -Response- What are you doing?
After we get through that, then we can turn the conversation to anything within reason. Some interpret it as disrespect to ignore this protocol and leap straight to "So, what do you think about Top Gear then?" when talking to someone on the web. It's quite bizarre, really, how far the conversational tradition goes, so far as to be unshakable by all but those who we dub "impolite".
But again, that's just one tiny facet of life. I would say we're controlled in almost every aspect of our lives to a clandestine level of totalitarianism.
~Love Leonidas
So I'm sometimes awkward with new people on the internet, especially if they're shy. But I'm an affectionate person, I just bring this on gradually. As I get to know someone, the more I speak to them - but more importantly, the more they respond and when they respond positively - the more I use endearments and signs of affection. So for someone I've just met, my greeting will be "Hey" or "Hi", after a while I may use a few x's, then after a while a love heart (*gasp*) and if they're comfortable with it, then eventually I use words like "honey", "sweetie" and "love" (Leonidas, you player, you...)
I balance my hypocorisms, too. (Lovely word that refers to endearing terms like the ones above.) If I've used an endearing term then I don't add a heart, or if I've used a heart and an x then I don't use a hypocorism.
There was a point to this. This is just a small example, but I'm under the dictation of conversational etiquette, as are many others. Or, to put it more simply, I do the same things when I'm talking to people. Here's an example you'll be familiar with:
Every internet conversation usually starts the same banal way, and can be mapped out like this:
A: Hello
B: Hello
A: How are you?
B: -Response- How are you?
A: -Response- What are you doing?
B: -Response- What are you doing?
After we get through that, then we can turn the conversation to anything within reason. Some interpret it as disrespect to ignore this protocol and leap straight to "So, what do you think about Top Gear then?" when talking to someone on the web. It's quite bizarre, really, how far the conversational tradition goes, so far as to be unshakable by all but those who we dub "impolite".
But again, that's just one tiny facet of life. I would say we're controlled in almost every aspect of our lives to a clandestine level of totalitarianism.
~Love Leonidas
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