<nettime> Happy Lurker counts her blessings

[Caroline Nevejan <nevejan {AT} xs4all.nl>]

Dear Nettime,

Over the last 10 years, since the beginning, I have been a happy  
lurker of nettime list. I enjoyed the writing of so many contributors  
and appreciated the work of the moderators. It has given me an  
opportunity to follow certain developments without having to indulge  
in them. The modest moderation I have appreciated all along - today  
as well as in the time of the Founding Fathers. What I have  
appreciated of the nettime model as well, is that new groups and  
people in other languages started new nettime lists with different  
identities.

I used the list to 'scan' where the atttention of this group of media  
critics was going and I appreciated especially certain strings of  
discussions. I never posted for different reasons. One of them is  
that I did not want to take the time to produce quality text and that  
is one of the characteristics of the nettime contributions which I  
appreciate myself very much. And yes, it is boys environment and I am  
a woman (we only post when the boys get in trouble(we are all naive  
alessandra..:)...), and yes I did not have jobs that facilitated  
writing time and more. But I was allowed to lurk and to enjoy the  
effort other people took.

When people gather in real life, other sorts of conversation are  
possible which no list can facilitate. Nettime itself evolved from  
the real meeting between people. I can not imagine anyone seriously  
opposing to the meeting between people, discussing what is happening  
and suggesting new ways of operations. The more the better.  Because  
conversation has this different nature, I am curious to hear from  
Tobias or other people who were present at the real meeting what good  
new ideas came up. To realize that people are hesitant to post is a  
first conclusion. What would make you post? What posts do you miss?  
What conditions do you need? What are you going to do?

Critiqing others for having done 'stuff', aging and moving on in  
life, I find rather uninteresting. I get interested when I hear what  
you like to do yourself. Alessandra's contribution is in this sense  
clear. The fact that 'oldtimers' move to academia, is in my opinion a  
proof of succesfull interactions and developed thinking over the  
years. Academia is one of the knowledge systems human beings use, it  
is interesting to have new knowledge interact with traditions. Being  
an 'oldtimer' myself, I find it very rewarding to have entered into  
academia after 20 years of working outside of it. It gives me a  
chance to understand better what I have done and will do in the  
coming times in or outside of academia.

At this 10 year anniversary I like to count the blessings of the  
nettime-lists. Thank you all for your effort.
I am also very happpy that the "2nd/3rd generation of Nettimers, who  
don't have stable careers (..)  who are nonetheless trying to f*cking  
do something anyway" are gearing up. It will benefit your careers in  
the end anyway. Stop picking fights where you do not need them. Do  
your own thing and get others involved.

I do agree with Tobias and others, that it makes sense to reflect on  
how to keep the quality interesting. The evolved "professionalism' on  
the nettime list, is an issue. The fact that some of the contributors  
have been talking to each other for many years as well. It adds  
quality and at the same time it has become more and more a closed  
environment. In that sense I realize I use nettime like I use other  
media. To me, nettime has been a closed environment from the  
beginning, and as a happy lurker that is fine for me.
Had nettime been a professional organization it would  make sense to  
analyze who has contributed, are there enough new young people, why  
do women keep  on not-posting.  May be it should be decided that this  
group of white straight men who are now entering their 'mid-lives'  
and who have developed this way of communicating and developinjng  
ideas should just continue to do so since we appreciate it?

I realize while wrting this, and while new postings on this subject  
have arrived, that my way of writing involves a different kind  of  
communication than is appreciated at the nettime  list. So because  
you like to hear 'all  lurkers' I will send this. But I prefer not to  
find postings like mine to regular on the list, since I appreciate  
the elaborateness of most postings I read.

Caroline


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