[Air-L] trolls and Aspergian "sufferers"

Sun Aug 5 20:18:47 PDT 2012

Well, I offered the same advice here that I offer to my graduate students.
 I'm fine with making that public and having it affect my credibility.

All writing is a form of self-censorship.  The author makes decisions
regarding which thoughts are worthy of expression to a given audience, and
the author makes decisions about the manner in which those expressions
should best be communicated.  Plenty of ideas are "censored" in order to
achieve clarity in writing.

I'm not sure what "behavior antithetical to the discipline of research
itself" you're referring to.  I'm also not sure what you consider "the
entire purpose of academia" to be.  But if it can be so easily subverted by
a few words of cautionary advice, then it must be a brittle thing indeed.

Regards,
DK

On Sun, Aug 5, 2012 at 10:14 PM, Thomas Jones <tajone02 at syr.edu> wrote:

>  I  personally don't plan to have a career in academia. Further, I value
> standing up for oneself and one's beliefs substantially more than bowing to
> naivety or censorship of "seniors", especially in the presence of behavior
> antithetical to the discipline of research itself.
>
>  My character and value, personally and professionally, is not so frail
> as to be dictated by the opinion or approval of others. I hope you
> understand that your credibility too is just as subject as mine as these
> discussions evolve.
>
>  Oddly, the behavior demonstrated throughout this discourse closely
> aligns to cyber bullying, and on an email list of professional academics
> and researchers no less. This is not the solution; this is the problem.
>
>  Do not make the mistake in assuming that because I am a graduate student
> that I am not already established in my career. Such assumptions, like many
> others presented in this discourse, are no more favorable to the
> credibility or reputation of established researchers either, regardless of
> their tenure.
>
>  Given the email responses on-list thus far, I see little professionalism
> or reputation reflective its spirit or purpose. Perhaps that is the
> problem, too much concern for reputation first, substance second.
>
>  Given the numerous off-list emails I've received in this conversation
> from others, I now understand their testimonials - why so many are
> discouraged from using the list, or have stopped participating altogether.
> I take this time to acknowledge them, bring this issue to light, and thank
> them for their support. Perhaps I'll act on their recommendation to follow
> their lead. My time is too valuable for such behavior.
>
>  But let's hope I need not remind you and everyone else - you too were
> all graduate students once. I hope your own faculty didn't censor your
> thoughts as much as you attempt to do here. If so, you have defeated the
> entire purpose of academia, an unfortunate shame in my opinion. I accept
> that not all will agree.
>
>  Thank you.
>
>
> Thomas Jones
> IT Consultant
> @OtherTomJones
> http://about.me/othertomjones
> http://theothertomjones.com
>
>  Sent from my iPad
>
> On Aug 5, 2012, at 9:10 PM, "Dave Karpf" <davekarpf at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>   Without engaging with the substance of this debate, I'd like to offer
> up a simple cautionary observation:
>
>  AoIR is a community of professional researchers/teachers/academics.
>  People develop reputations within that community.  Those reputations cast
> a shadow upon future interactions, as all reputations do.
>
>  Particularly for members of the community who are earlier in their
> career and don't have a body of work that they are otherwise known for
> (read: graduate students), it's worth keeping this in mind when
> contributing to the list.  Someday you will be applying for academic jobs.
>  People will see your file and remember you from your contributions to
> AoIR.  That can either be an asset or a burden.
>
>  Regards,
> DK
>
>
>
> On Sun, Aug 5, 2012 at 7:49 PM, Thomas Jones <tajone02 at syr.edu> wrote:
>
>> Elijah,
>>
>> Calcanis doesn't need to pass muster as "research", nor was his
>> observation about such behavior referenced as such. You act as if only
>> researchers are privy to make socio-technological observations. That is
>> disappointing.
>>
>> You say that:
>> "Having one person with a loud-ish voice compare internet behavior to
>> Aspergers syndrome is highly obnoxious.  Having people who should know
>> better repeat the statement is just unconscionable and bordering on 'vile'."
>>
>> Interesting... Researchers been doing this since the the dawn of time,
>> and too, have been labeled as "obnoxious", "unconscionable", and
>> "borderline vile". Though such assertions have usually come from the
>> ignorant and close-minded, more telling of yourself than of me, or Calcanis.
>>
>> No one has "flattened / construed" the issue down to trolling as being
>> "Aspergers-driven". Such a lack of attention to detail is concerning from a
>> researcher, especially when conveyed in such a condescending tone. Had you
>> bothered to not only read, but attempt to understand the basic premise of
>> Calcanis' assertion, you would have understood what he was saying - a
>> tragic misstep in your response.
>>
>> Calcanis asserts that people who do most of their communicating online
>> end up *mimicking* Aspergers because they are imposing, by the vehicles of
>> CMC (keyboard, monitor, text, etc), many of the same disadvantages of those
>> with Aspergers, on themselves due to the inability to recognize non-verbal
>> queues through said vehicles. In short, text lacks context - this shouldnt
>> be a terribly prophetic to anyone on this list.
>>
>> The recognition of non-verbal queues is an issue that
>> computer/software/internet engineers have been striving to add to CMC since
>> the computer/email/internet's inception. What, exactly, do you think the
>> point of emoticons was for? Why, exactly, do you think we have evolved from
>> emoticons, to audio and video in online communications?
>>
>> We have moved, in a non-inclusive pseudo-chronological list, from Usenet,
>> message boards/IRC, instant messaging, blogging, photo-blogging, video
>> blogging, tweeting, and now rolling them all into collaboration apps such
>> as Skype, WebEx, etc,, and now vocal AI queues like Siri. Aside from the
>> technological maturity of the infrastructure, it was to add context to
>> communication.
>>
>> When context is removed from communication - nonverbal responses, facial
>> expressions, etc, - so is recognition of, and/or use of empathy. Lack of
>> empathy in social/digital communications is evidence of, and/or often
>> categorically described as the behavior we understand as "trolling". Some
>> engage in this behavior willingly and cognitively, others are oblivious -
>> the results however are still the same - that person is a "troll". This is
>> not a catch-all explanation for the vast spectrum which is trolling, nor
>> was it ever intended to be, but it is an observation with merit.
>>
>> Regardless of the "validity" of Calcanis' status or quality of work as a
>> "researcher", categorically rejecting the notion that he may have a point
>> is absent traits of any sound researcher. Investigating such claims is the
>> point of research, and there has been no clear consensus on this particular
>> issue. Interestingly enough, you rush to judgement.
>>
>> As far as engaging my faculty, there are no need for straw polls where
>> open minds exist.
>>
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>>
>> Thomas Jones | Graduate Student | School of Information Studies
>> http://about.me/othertomjones
>>  Syracuse University
>> Hinds Hall
>> Syracuse, New York 13244
>> t 919.809.9454  e tajone02 at syr.edu<mailto:tajone02 at syr.edu>
>>
>>
>> ischool.syr.edu<http://ischool.syr.edu>
>>
>> THE CAMPAIGN FOR SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
>> campaign.syr.edu<http://campaign.syr.edu>
>>
>> On Aug 5, 2012, at 5:59 PM, Elijah Wright <elijah.wright at gmail.com
>> <mailto:elijah.wright at gmail.com>>
>>   wrote:
>>
>> Clearly I should have paid attention to this thread a while ago!
>>
>> That being said, I'm going to [safely] assume that neither of the two
>> previous respondents have heard of what Jason Calcanis coined as "Internet
>> Asperger's Syndrome"? While it is still an ongoing, vibrant discussion of
>> diverse perspectives, its underlying premise is certainly feasible.
>>
>> This should get you started:
>> http://calacanis.com/2009/01/29/we-live-in-public-and-the-end-of-empathy/
>> http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=59a_1247115195
>>
>> Calcanis doesn't pass muster as "research" , in my honest opinion.
>> He's in the venture capital, startup, yell-loudly-at-people and get a
>> story posted on TechCrunch-or-whatever, scene.
>>
>> Having one person with a loud-ish voice compare internet behavior to
>> Asperger's syndrome is highly obnoxious.  Having people who should
>> know better repeat the statement is just unconscionable and bordering
>> on 'vile'.
>>
>>
>> Thomas Jones | Graduate Student | School of Information Studies
>> http://about.me/othertomjones
>>
>> I think you should take a straw poll of the faculty at Syracuse and
>> see how many of them will agree that it's okay to flatten / construe
>> internet trolling down as being Aspergers-driven.  This is one of
>> those things where even *asking the question* is likely to get you a
>> very hostile reaction from many folks...
>>
>> The results should be entertaining.
>>
>> --elijah
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> The Air-L at listserv.aoir.org mailing list
>> is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org
>> Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at:
>> http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
>>
>> Join the Association of Internet Researchers:
>> http://www.aoir.org/
>>
>
>
>
>  --
> Dave Karpf, PhD
>
> Assistant Professor
> George Washington University
> School of Media and Public Affairs
>
> www.davidkarpf.com
> davekarpf at gmail.com
>
>  Author of *The MoveOn Effect: The Unexpected Transformation of American
> Political Advocacy<http://www.amazon.com/The-MoveOn-Effect-Unexpected-Transformation/dp/0199898383/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1>
>  *(Oxford University Press)
>
>

-- 
Dave Karpf, PhD

Assistant Professor
George Washington University
School of Media and Public Affairs

www.davidkarpf.com
davekarpf at gmail.com

Author of *The MoveOn Effect: The Unexpected Transformation of American
Political Advocacy<http://www.amazon.com/The-MoveOn-Effect-Unexpected-Transformation/dp/0199898383/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1>
 *(Oxford University Press)