Let's talk

hahaha...had to look that one up (had something completely different in mind oh my!)...

thanks for your grand reply...feels like we are sitting in the garden or the lounge...almost! (maybe one day!)

I agree - groks and the rest don't matter - nor the number of comments BUT comments nevertheless are good to receive so it does not feel you are just talking to yourself...and going a bit crazy in the process ;)

Like your approach to reading and come to think of it...it's the feelings the whole evokes and the thoughts that are being triggered - not only the understanding of what is there that has been put down. I like it when you kinda are able to "read between the lines"...not often that happens...too many closed off postings all over the web - even in inter-personal communication. To shelter and not to show who you really are, what you really think - but kinda trying to fit in what you think it is you need to fit into...hmmm

Never thought about the "to win" issue on the web - but you might be quite right with that in certain cases...can you remember the early days of chatrooms where all was innocent and lovely? where not much of egos where around but people fascinated with finally being able to communicate with like minded across the globe - I made sooo many good friends in real life through that - it was much less competitive i.e. struggling and trying to outdo one another - there I really felt the sense of communities. Am sure (hopeful) we can get it back!

And yes, I think you are quite right with regards to the postings (or lack thereof) here on evolver because people think that everyone is already aware - often I fall into this as well. But you are right - we should keep sharing even the smallest of things - it could be something massive for someone else...

Thanks Colby - it's lovely talking to you - looking forward to doing this more often :))

...have we not Meade ;)

Thank you for your insights and ideas and yes, I agree with you and at the outset of my post I considered these issues i.e. the "editorial" way of writing. This is where I wanted to take it until I got distracted by my own thought process and somehow realising that at that moment in time I did not want to be/trying to be "straight forward" and "logical" but just share my thoughts.

I was not fishing for compliments, nor groks nor a high number of comments BUT I was fishing for a conversation. And in my humble opinion for this I feel I need to show who I am, how my mind works, my thoughts flow - especially via a medium like the web as in certain ways it is much harder (as more "impersonal" i.e. you can't look the other person in the eyes, you don't get body language to orientate yourself on with respect of what you are saying - communication is not only words now is it?) to engage with oneanother on a deeper level here.

It also depends of who you think your audience is/should be - this influences how you "position" yourself and your ideas, don't you think? But why should this still be important? I mean, considering WHO you write for and amend your style and content accordingly, do you not with this restrict yourself/hide yourself - i.e. who you really are?

Do you know what I mean? Kinda feels that anxiety and ego/achieving status within a community (be it Evolver here or anywhere else) influences the way we present ourselves. Anxiety of not being respected, not being acknowledged, being discarded ... if stating something that is truely you but you are not sure whether it would be accepted nor understood.

I could not help thinking that we unfortunately have come far - in not the positive way - of engaging and communciating with one another after reading Christopher Lowman's blog dealing with how to speak to strangers or just to speak to strangers - if we need "help" with that now...I couldn't help thinking "gosh, we really have lost our way" in the sense of understanding ourselves, our communities, societies and everyone around us.

Being able to communicate also verbally is a true gift to us humans - but we do not do so to the extend we should in my opinion - i.e. allowing our true selfs to be shown as well as on the other hand respecting those who do show their inner self. I feel that taking communication to that level is hard work as we would need to respect and engage with others on a much deeper level i.e. really communicate not only through the means of words or the right structure of our thoughts and ideas in order to capture the "target" audience...but really go out there and to lay ourselves bare and accept and respect those who also do so.

In my opinion only this can provide a true and stable basis for us to becoming a close community - it needs to go deeper than only sharing ideas and knowledge. We need to share our thoughts and feelings and should work individually and collectively towards overcoming anxiety that might restrict us getting fully immersed into it all.

I'm really sorry to hear meade but do hope and am sure that if it is meant to be you will work it out. Distance can be a killer..but it does not have to be...

You always seem to be able to pull me right back when I go off on one again...I do agree, the writing style does not change who one is...I was being a bit too black&white there I agree.

I just at times feel that too many try to fit in so hard (not only on the web but in "real" life too) that they themselves lose sight of who they are and what they portray to be is nowhere close who they are...but guess this is a completely different topic to be taken up...one that has been on my mind for a while...which goes also into the direction of tolerating vs respecting people (as well as oneself)...

I'll be in touch...and thanks for being here and sharing!

I have been wondering bout that as well Joanne - how conversations tend to die here. I agree with you with regards to the flatline - they tend to fizzle out somehow once moved from the top page.

For me it is the way the site works i.e. is set up at the moment as I reckon conversations would continue if still easily "visible" and accessible. Also realise that everyone is using the site differently. As Rob pointed out he goes via the friends' pages first, others hit the top ranked blogs first, I start with the recent blogs and others search via tags.

So how about keeping a conversation alife? Seems to me the only place would logically be via groups - as they are there to stay - but how the site is set up there is always this split between groups and "recent activity" if you know what I mean?

The most commented search helps at times but not for those blogs you got engaged with that have not had that many comments and you sometimes do not really pay that much attention of the author (if you are like me...hmm...maybe need to change this!) and then can't find it again that easily.

Solution? As long as the site operates like this we need to organise it - either with favourites ourselves or with getting more involved in groups. Until there is something where we can mark blogs as "hot topics" ;) just a thought.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Love the conversation and really appreciate your take on things Joanne.

Actually I seem to remember that you had a few more ideas about how to make this site more userfriendly - how about starting a thread on this via the ESM Group or have you already?

like those ideas Joanne...especially keen on the topics - that's a grand idea (although one can use the search function via the tags so far as well - but it would make it neater)

I actually think what would be needed first and foremost is a re-structure of the "main" page i.e. the first page we all get - from there then to go off to blogs, discussions and what have you - without the top rated blogs being there but under topics or areas that would already do the trick...kinda like a "selection" page before the main page we got now...makes sense? guess this is what you have in mind as well?

blogs vs discussions I find a great idea as well - would be interesting to see whether the discussion feature would be taken up at all though...hmm..

sounds like great stuff you get involved with regards to a "constitution" - set of rules or what you thinking? looking forward to your post on this!

hmm..I just had a full-day tit&tat conversation with friends and friends of friends on facebook (of all places) about the situation here in Europe with regards to the Greek bailout - quite a bit of a fuss happening here and everyone has something to say - which is great - from a) someone needs to pay/bail out to z) let's start a revolution and help the protesters in Greece all has been discussed - quite a bit of rambling into different directions as well - but I like this - keeps the mind stimulated..

poverty - power - wealth et al - interesting but tricky topics I reckon...so easy to put blame on either side and I think with blaming we don't get to a solution - i.e. we need to point out how we got here for sure but just to say it's the fault of those or the other ones will not get us anywhere don't you think?

looking forward to your blogs though and am sure there will be good discussions starting from there indeed!

Servus
ck :)