A Shameless Plug

I figured I’d use this medium to the best of its ability, so here goes:  

 Avant is the literary magazine here at Rowan University. The magazine twice a year, once a semester. The club meets every Thursday at 5:00 PM in the Student Center’s Pub Suite which is located on the third floor in the back right corner. I encourage any and all creative writers to submit their work (there is a submissions folder in the Pub Suite hanging from the Avant office door, or you can email your work to avantzine@hotmail.com). Don’t be discouraged if your piece isn’t accepted right away; the staff wants only the best quality of work. If it isn’t accepted, you will receive an email with constructive criticisms for the piece and are encouraged to submit it again. If you don’t feel like submitting and still want to be involved, you can still come to the meetings and voice your opinion on the works of others. I believe that just about sums it up.

  P.S If you want any additional information, feel free to contact me via this blog or my email which is iamjustindavis@yahoo.com

Ethics of MUD’s and Their Communities

            I have some knowledge of MUD’s seeing as a couple of friends and I had participated in them during middle school; they were interesting, easily learned time-wasters. And even though we had significantly more advanced video games at the time, we still found the freedom of the text-based world oddly intriguing.

            I’m sure we came across a jerk or two along the way – it’s inevitable really, regardless of the medium – but we never read too deeply into their antics; we figured, “If someone gets out of line, he or she will get taken care of eventually.” After reading Julian Dibbell’s “A Rape in Cyberspace; or How an Evil Clown, a Haitian Trickster Spirit, Two Wizards, and a Cast of Dozens Turned a Database into a Society,” however, I came to realize that certain people take offensive actions over the Internet very seriously (to the point that legitimate legal actions were considered).

While I have no qualms about Mr. Bungle’s actions being rude and uncalled for, I believe that a younger generation might have simply shrugged such an occurrence off; legba, on the other hand, was an older resident of the LambdaMOO community. A younger generation, naturally more adept to the intricacies of the Internet and personal computing, would most likely categorize Mr. Bungle as a “newb” and underestimate the severity of the situation because it occurred over such a broad, nonphysical medium.

The decision to “toad” Mr. Bungle was seemingly appropriate, but it inevitably failed when Dr. Jest was able to log onto a different IP and create a new character; in this respect, there was a no way to completely block him from the online community.

It is interesting to note, though, that problems such as these give rise to hierarchies and democratic systems and provide an odd reflection of real-life into what should be a retreat from it. Rules and guidelines are necessary, yes, but is nothing so scared anymore that even text-based games are disconcerting to the well being of others? One would think that those seeking to participate in such communities would have a general understanding and respect for their procedures; MUD’s are relatively obscure in the mainstream world.

Ultimately, is there a lesson to be learned from Mr. Bungle? I believe there is – most people don’t realize that psychological rape can be just as serious and damaging as physical rape. And I at this point still don’t quite grasp that concept nearly as much as I probably should. So, Mr. Bungle or Dr. Jest or any other persona you go by, wherever you are and with whoever you’re harassing, you should revel in the sad victory that from your dishonest deeds there came about a revolution of online ethics in  MUD’s.

MUD’s…i have no clue

Wow!

I just got done reading, “A Rape in Cyberspace” by Dibbell.  I know I’m going to sound really stupid, but I had no idea what a MUD was.  I mean you read and hear things about activities that are done online, but I had no idea how or where they took place.  I can understand how this whole concept about rape online can be taken very seriously.  The idea that it is happening in cyberspace does not necessarily make it harmless or acceptable.  A person’s mental and emotional state is much more delicate than their physical being.  Apparently these people get very involved and take this whole thing very serious.  I cannot even imagine how we could even begin to enforce what happens online.  This is truly a scary situation to know that these types of spaces are like huge arenas with welcome mats for lunatics.  It makes me wonder that if someone is really sick and goes to a MUD room, creates a fictitious name and plays the whole thing out, what does that do to their mind?  Is that whole scenario feeding their illness?  Making them worse?  I mean the article said something similar to, “At least it isn’t happening in real life”, people are acting out online.  But it’s still real life.  It’s happening whether your name is John or Sue.  If that doesn’t demonstrate psychological problems what does?  Oh, I was Sue when that happened, it wasn’t me.  Wow, does this open a whole can of worms or what?  Who was signed on as Scarlet7 on November 25^th, in The MUD room on AOL? Does anyone have a clue? lol..

Life Saver Wanted

So, Hi Everyone! I hope your holiday was healthy, happy and FUN!  I am so ready to be done with this semester.  Why does it always seem like you are floating along on this nice calm stream, just taking everything in and then suddenly…WHAM!  You hit a major storm and everything is coming your way, ice, sleet, snow, hail, pounding rain, lightening….I swear someone better throw me a life preserver fast!