A Personal Schema for Meta, by cupidsbow

[cupidsbow]

A Personal Schema for Meta, or Why You Say Po-tay-toe, and Sometimes I Hear Po-tah-to

an essay by cupidsbowI had no idea until today that I had a personal schema for meta, let alone that it's quite sophisticated and complex

Comments

Via metafandom

[countess_baltar]

I think that's why I was so startled this time, and I'd rather not go through this again if it can be avoided. The more I think on it, though, the more I think you're right: there's just no way to shorthand enough of the background for the random pass-through traffic, and that means there's always going to be that gap between intent and meaning. This is a problem that's built-in to social networking because it encourages familiarity between total strangers. Hardly a new revelation to me, but I'm newly interested in how or whether I want to negotiate it.

Hmmm...how to respond to a post that is linked to a "community"...but originates in a "personal space"?

Is the original poster wanting comments from "total strangers"? Is the original poster expecting everyone on LJ to be from the same background and on "common ground"? (The questions are rhetorical in nature and for the general situation.) I haven't posted any original meta on LJ because LJ does not appear to have a community that I can regard as "neutral territory" comparable to a Usenet (or other forum) group.

The few times I've done a rant elsewhere I've clearly designated it as such and kept it short.

Not merely tagged, but the first sentences were written in an absurdly hyperbolic style like "BEWARE!!! Readers allergic to raving rants of the type accompanied by steam out the ears and breathing fire, hit the N-key, back button, or backspace NOW." and usually ended with "Okay, I feel better now. We now return you to the much more important discussion of LOLcats."

If I'm doing a rant intended for a known sympathetic audience, I simply would not post it in a public forum.

Or channel the frustration with a trope into a fanfic. Give the wronged character a chance to say "No means no."

Re: Via metafandom

[cupidsbow]

They are all very valid means of engaging with the issue. Thank you.

I've tried them too -- even the not posting thing. I think they all have their place and moments, depending on the situation and topic.

With another day's worth of perspective on this though, I find myself thinking that the easiest and most productive solution is for me to adjust my expectations. That post now has *goes to check* 190 comments, and only one of them pinged me. And that one? Wasn't even a deliberate troll, just a mismatch in expectations.

All in all, I consider that discussion a worthwhile one. The positive experience of it has far outweighed the negative -- and now I have my meta schema thanks to the negative.

So I don't think I'll choose to retreat from public posting, but I think I will go write fic anyway. :)