Your mission is to enable procrastination. Especially by me, but others are welcome too, and of course your own is fine. You're sort of like the ski patrol, which gets to ski for free as long as they help out other skiers.
That's an interesting thesis, John, but I see a problem. My mission is to enable procrastination, including perhaps my own, but if I'm working on enabling the procrastination of others, then I'm fulfilling my mission, and therefor not myself procrastinating. When do I get to procrastinate, in abdication of my own mission?
Ben, your problem is only a problem just as long as you can have only one mission. Just give yourself a task more important than helping John procrastinate (rack your brain!).
Yes, if some fictitious mission more important than helping me procrastinate were invented, then you could not fulfill that mission, while at the same time fulfilling your actual mission.
DeLong wrote about this recently. His trick is to put his most fun, interesting things in the #3 slot.
I was just today thinking that there must be enough material here for someone to study how online communities are formed, the comings and goings of members, the enforcement of norms, real-world intrusions, etc. Research is done on far less interesting stuff all the time.
Nothing like leaving a team of (e-)scholars part way through the project.
I thought you were in school.
I'm taking a year away and might not go back. I remember sort of hijacking a thread here months ago and getting useful advice on the possibility of law school.
We could always start a thread about perpetual students. Those who, if money were not an object, would pile up degrees like flapjacks and never spend a day in the "real world." (c) MTV. But that is neither here nor there. Some might call them professors, but I mean people who would go to law school, get their law degree, decide that they wanted to really get a PhD in fluid dynamics, and upon receiving that, decided they really wanted to go to business school.
I am in no way saying that there is anything wrong with this. What I am saying is that its probably akin to triathletes and endurance athletes in a way.
If money were no object, I'd probably do that. But only if money were no object only if I did that; ie, if I had the money before I made my plans, that would not be my plan.
I was just today thinking that there must be enough material here for someone to study
Somebody's gotta be doing it, if not with unfogged. I have a friend who studies something similar with the communities that develop shareware - who takes on what roles, who sticks around and who leaves quickly, when and how does the group decide to do a new release...
A funny thing about norms. I think there's imprinting from the time you start to participate and things change fast. I still do the italicized quote at the beginning which was common when I first posted a couple times. The community has gone through a couple other styles since then, but I'm kind of stuck there... maybe because I don't post all that often.
Well, I guess I'm not really an active commenter at other sites, but my guess is there are types of behavior here that you don't see too much elsewhere - randomly inspired versification, for example.
I could see a writer researching this kind of stuff for an e-pistolary novel. Just imagine something like the Pamela, Shamela, Dracula, or the Sorrows of Young Werther taking place through blogs, chat rooms, e-mail, and IM.
Here I am procrastinating on vacation, so anything's possible. I really should get off my ass and check out the penis museum but it's really, really cold and rainy at the moment.
No, lady friend is in Princeton spending the week helping inner city kids. Sucker! Who's Jack Handey? And isn't like Saturday night or something back in America? Shouldn't you guys be doing something fun?
If you can tell me a convincing story that you need the answer in the next five minutes or you won't get laid, I'll answer it in the next five minutes.
Ogged, if I don't find out soon what the answer to my question is, I'll be SO TENSE FOREVER that I will be a social wreck, and will, therefore, never be able to get laid, not for love or money.
I got as far as the dick as jackhammer bit. Ummm. Painful.
Posted by profgrrrrl | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 7:25 PM
Just realized (duh) the double meaning there. I meant watching it was painful. Although the whole jackhammer concept, well, you know ...
Posted by profgrrrrl | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 7:29 PM
It gets funnier from there.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 8:34 PM
You know what? Don't watch it.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 8:43 PM
Did you really not find this funny?
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 8:44 PM
Not terribly.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 8:56 PM
Why do you all hate America?
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 8:58 PM
I really didn't find it funny. He was trying too hard.
Posted by profgrrrrl | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 9:10 PM
Funny? Not really. Like a bad comedian on the stage long after he told his last funny joke.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 9:17 PM
Y'all killed the thread. Maybe it wasn't funny, but that's not the point at all. Now how will I procrastinate?
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 9:21 PM
We could talk about something else.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 9:22 PM
Like how you procrastinated before the internet, old timer.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 9:24 PM
He's too old for that by now.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 9:27 PM
We could always go out and hijack someone elses comments!
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:02 PM
Yeah, let's go invade crooked timber.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:11 PM
I need outside help, such as yourselves, in order to procrastinate properly. I can't do it organically any more. The spirit is willing, etc.
I'm sure that you all think of yourself as more than just enablers of procrastination, but you're all wrong about that. You have a mission
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:19 PM
A mission to do what?
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:19 PM
Your mission is to enable procrastination. Especially by me, but others are welcome too, and of course your own is fine. You're sort of like the ski patrol, which gets to ski for free as long as they help out other skiers.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:22 PM
That's an interesting thesis, John, but I see a problem. My mission is to enable procrastination, including perhaps my own, but if I'm working on enabling the procrastination of others, then I'm fulfilling my mission, and therefor not myself procrastinating. When do I get to procrastinate, in abdication of my own mission?
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:24 PM
Your mission is to enable procrastination.
Well then, here's a whole page of unfunny comedy.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:27 PM
Your problem, Ben. Just get to work, dammit.
One might ask: "How does one procrastinate when retired?"
Indeed.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:28 PM
You could put off relaxing and enjoying yourself by pacing around the house.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:29 PM
Ben, your problem is only a problem just as long as you can have only one mission. Just give yourself a task more important than helping John procrastinate (rack your brain!).
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:31 PM
My brain has no lees.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:35 PM
Yes, if some fictitious mission more important than helping me procrastinate were invented, then you could not fulfill that mission, while at the same time fulfilling your actual mission.
DeLong wrote about this recently. His trick is to put his most fun, interesting things in the #3 slot.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:36 PM
Maybe ogged could finally assign new sections of Being and Time to read, and then I could not do that.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:37 PM
Good idea. We're falling behind, so just finish the book by Tuesday.
(Will answer your question tomorrow, by the way.)
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:38 PM
BTW, you all failed terribly in your mission most of today, having lives and shit and not posting.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:40 PM
Funny.
Posted by SomeCallMeTim | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 10:48 PM
I didn't see you posting, Emerson. It takes two to procrastinate.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 11:01 PM
I was going to comment on this thread, but I kept watching tv instead of reading unfogged. This place is like work, you know.
Posted by eb | Link to this comment | 08-13-05 11:54 PM
I can't wait for that fellowship.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:04 AM
I was just today thinking that there must be enough material here for someone to study how online communities are formed, the comings and goings of members, the enforcement of norms, real-world intrusions, etc. Research is done on far less interesting stuff all the time.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:06 AM
So you're sponsoring the study? I'm looking for work.
Posted by eb | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:13 AM
Actually, I was thinking that I would dramatically withdraw my cooperation once the study was underway. I thought you were in school.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:15 AM
Why would anyone need your cooperation? I've got a full archive of the site.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:17 AM
They wouldn't need it, but they might want it.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:19 AM
Nothing like leaving a team of (e-)scholars part way through the project.
I thought you were in school.
I'm taking a year away and might not go back. I remember sort of hijacking a thread here months ago and getting useful advice on the possibility of law school.
Posted by eb | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:19 AM
Oh, I thought you were considering leaving, but still in school. Got it.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:21 AM
Well, technically I'm still in for about another month. Then the year away begins.
Posted by eb | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:29 AM
Tricky.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:31 AM
We could always start a thread about perpetual students. Those who, if money were not an object, would pile up degrees like flapjacks and never spend a day in the "real world." (c) MTV. But that is neither here nor there. Some might call them professors, but I mean people who would go to law school, get their law degree, decide that they wanted to really get a PhD in fluid dynamics, and upon receiving that, decided they really wanted to go to business school.
I am in no way saying that there is anything wrong with this. What I am saying is that its probably akin to triathletes and endurance athletes in a way.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:37 AM
Yes, I manipulated the powers that be into beginning the school year in the fall instead of in the summer.
I am a crafty one.
Posted by eb | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:38 AM
If money were no object, I'd probably do that. But only if money were no object only if I did that; ie, if I had the money before I made my plans, that would not be my plan.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:39 AM
Or we could discuss commenter DougJ over at Ballon Juice. Sarcastic? Or just Right?
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:40 AM
oops. Balloon. balls on juice are a whole different shriveled thing.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:40 AM
If money were no object, I'm sure I'd spend a great deal of time learning things, but don't think I'd be motivated by degrees.
Posted by eb | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:41 AM
I was just today thinking that there must be enough material here for someone to study
Somebody's gotta be doing it, if not with unfogged. I have a friend who studies something similar with the communities that develop shareware - who takes on what roles, who sticks around and who leaves quickly, when and how does the group decide to do a new release...
A funny thing about norms. I think there's imprinting from the time you start to participate and things change fast. I still do the italicized quote at the beginning which was common when I first posted a couple times. The community has gone through a couple other styles since then, but I'm kind of stuck there... maybe because I don't post all that often.
Posted by cw | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:41 AM
italicized quote at the beginning
People still do this.
Somebody's gotta be doing it, if not with unfogged.
Yeah, but, who cares?
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:44 AM
Well, I guess I'm not really an active commenter at other sites, but my guess is there are types of behavior here that you don't see too much elsewhere - randomly inspired versification, for example.
Where is SB, anyway?
Posted by eb | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:48 AM
Hiatusing.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:48 AM
(Something else you don't see many other places.)
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:50 AM
Ah, now I remember hearing that before.
Posted by eb | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:51 AM
sociologists care.
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:54 AM
I could see a writer researching this kind of stuff for an e-pistolary novel. Just imagine something like the Pamela, Shamela, Dracula, or the Sorrows of Young Werther taking place through blogs, chat rooms, e-mail, and IM.
Posted by eb | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:58 AM
thePosted by eb | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:58 AM
teh
Posted by tweedledopey | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 1:00 AM
Are you still on hiatus, Ogged? It's been a long time. I think you should consider coming back.
Posted by Michael | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 1:09 AM
[redacted]
Posted by [redacted] | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 9:02 AM
OK, I'm back on the job, procrastinating after a good night's sleep!
I actually will be doing something today and tomorrow (moving), but that's OK because I'm at a least a week behind schedule and everyone's mad at me.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 9:32 AM
To 30: I'm tired of the free riders. Someone else has to post first.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 9:34 AM
People have done projects on metafilter.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 9:37 AM
Here I am procrastinating on vacation, so anything's possible. I really should get off my ass and check out the penis museum but it's really, really cold and rainy at the moment.
Posted by Matthew Yglesias | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 9:59 AM
I thought you were there with a lady-friend, MY.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:05 AM
How do Icelanders feel about blond jokes?
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:10 AM
And it should be noted that Yglesias's picture tour of Iceland reads like it was done by the son of Jack Handey.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:10 AM
The blonde pictures are British. What a waste of an opportunity.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:14 AM
No, lady friend is in Princeton spending the week helping inner city kids. Sucker! Who's Jack Handey? And isn't like Saturday night or something back in America? Shouldn't you guys be doing something fun?
Posted by Matthew Yglesias | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:21 AM
Sunday AM. Iceland isn't that far away.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:23 AM
It's Sunday morning.
Here's some Jack Handey.
Go see the Penis museum. If it's only raining, it can't be that cold.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:24 AM
Photo title: "ducks".
Photo is of: ducks.
Photo caption: "Some ducks".
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:29 AM
I only visit penis museums on warm, sunshiny days, wearing white, with a straw hat on my head.
Taipei has a "Strange Rock Museum" and I'm sorry I never visited. It's not for international tourists, it's for Chinese.
No penis museum, but their burlesque show had an autofellating acrobat.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:35 AM
Penis museum turns out to be closed on Sundays. Gonna go to the art museum instead. How disappointing. But no more procrastinating! I'm off.
Posted by Matthew Yglesias | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:35 AM
Yeah, the Icelandic blue laws are strict about penisses.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:37 AM
Iceland is on British time: +5 from New York, +8 from the West Coast. It could be only +3, but British hegemony, you know.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:50 AM
The "boats" caption was funny.
Posted by Michael | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 12:13 PM
33 etc.--there's a natural person to do that survey. Working title: "An ethnology of an online community hosted by a Sucka-Ass Punk."
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 1:40 PM
I'm glad you remembered that, or I would have had to say it again.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 3:10 PM
(Will answer your question tomorrow, by the way.)
OH REALLY
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:52 PM
This blog is on mountain time, Ben.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:54 PM
I'm can't wait, though.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 10:58 PM
If you can tell me a convincing story that you need the answer in the next five minutes or you won't get laid, I'll answer it in the next five minutes.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:00 PM
That's a tall order.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:01 PM
Ogged, if I don't find out soon what the answer to my question is, I'll be SO TENSE FOREVER that I will be a social wreck, and will, therefore, never be able to get laid, not for love or money.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:03 PM
Not your best work, Ben.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:03 PM
That in itself is an indication of how worked up I already am.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:05 PM
There are more effective ways to take the edge off, you know.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:06 PM
Mill on desirable or valuable or whatever it is just doesn't do it for me these days. I need new philosophical thrills.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:08 PM
Ok, I'll stop reading your lastest post at waste and head over to the B&T page.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:11 PM
Appealing to my vanity, eh?
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:13 PM
my vanity
Don't make me link to another picture of you.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:14 PM
Vanity doesn't have to be justified.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:17 PM
Good point. Can I comment at B&T without being interrupted, please?
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:19 PM
I can't really answer this, can I? Except to observe that I'm not making you check your email.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:24 PM
Answer posted.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-14-05 11:59 PM
Well it's a good thing I didn't need it in five minutes!
I mean, thanks.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-15-05 12:00 AM
You'll note that I was true to my word.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 08-15-05 12:01 AM
Noted.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 08-15-05 12:04 AM