In response to my post

In response to my post about online forums, a reader writes in about a typical psychological pattern known as “The Classic Discussion Group Behaviour”. Common symptoms include:

- participants will immediately divide themselves in opposing sides and

claim victory before the debate started,

- participants with well defined opinions are less involved than those with

an opinion formed on impulse,

- participants find it difficult to concentrate on the proposed topic,

- participants will get emotional and even personal,

- participation gets fragmented and those fragments have no resemblance to

the original conversation.

We should not condemn participants or their behaviour. “The Classic Discussion Group Behaviour” is not a psychological disorder. It is a principal thread in the fabric of the networked culture.

Some good thoughts. Thanks, Francois.