It was quite sunny today so I was able to test out my new tea cup in the garden.
I felt extremely English.
I thought of the Queen and of Wimbledon and of Roses in bloom.
This picture which I put on my blog yesterday elicited 18 comments and 47 views on Flickr, which I think is quite strange.
I put the photo in some groups, including ‘my everyday life’ and T’he new domesticity’. I really like these groups at the moment. I enjoy the way people in some of the Flickr groups make it like a kind of club. For example the group admins (people who set up the group) are careful to welcome new members and they praise their photos. It feels REAL.
It’s GREAT, a real buzz.
I think that is why Flickr is addictive.
There is a whole reciprocity thing going on.
I like the groups where people draw you in and where the boundaries between the offline and online spaces start to blur. This seems to happen in the ‘place’ groups (Sheffield; Bristol; Nottingham etc). But also in some others like The new Domesticity’ and ‘Everyday Life”. There is aslo the Thrift group where this happens.
It seems to happen in groups where people are presenting images as if they are glimpses of a life ‘caught in the moment’; they want to offer their perception of their reality as they see and experience it. People in these kinds of group particularly, seem keen to present online identities that cohere with off line selves (whatever that means).
Danath and Boyd talk here about ‘Public Displays of Connection’. And I really am thinking about this in relation to what Guy found in Benkler’s work about ‘thickening social relations’. I love that phrase.
Danath and Boyd talk about the significance of the way in which our online relationships are on public display - so I think we need to look OK all the time, from all angles really. So we reciprocate favours - such as making each other contacts, or puting each other on blogrolls. We have to always be on polite good behaviour and ensure our reputation remains intact as far as all our ‘contacts’ are concerned. It is quite difficult doing all this ‘people-pleasing’ without sounding totally gushing and cheesey I think.
I think that many online relationships are very temporary whilst others become quite deep.
The reciprocity in the relationships can be quite formulaic; gestural; ritualistic in some. You say something nice about my photo, I say something nice about yours. With others it is more than that and I think when it is more than that you can break out of the ritual routines and the politeness.
I am thinking about how that happens.
I have found out that you have to stick to the rituals until people know you otherwise they get offended and then you have to grovel your way out of the hole you dug. (I did that today.)
PostScript - added Monday 24th April:
This photo hit most interesting yesterday(23rd)!! Look here.
Hi Joolz- This is a genuine question and not a smart comment cos as a gran i sometimes get left behind with the new stuff . Is redprocate a new word/
Suppose I should go to the Wickipedia- in fact will do
I agrre with your thoughts on on-line relationships Think it is very hard about the on-line tone to strike in comments . I hate making phatic comments but sometimes it is necessary to get accepted.
Love affinity groups and shared stories
Comment by Digigran — April 26, 2006 @ 9:16 am
Ooooh I have never heard of that word either . I am going to look it up too.
Comment by Administrator — April 26, 2006 @ 9:58 am
MMM Think it may be my eye-sight and the shape of the c and i in the font. Of course you wrote reciprocate and reciprocity- Soz
Comment by Digigran — April 26, 2006 @ 10:02 am
Oh!! I see… I looked at the post and could not see that word but then thought maybe you read it elsehwere!!
Yes I think the font is a bit too squarish actually.
Comment by DrJoolz — April 26, 2006 @ 10:07 am