This is my second topic-starting post. If I do three more I will be well on my way to earning another “trust level”. In my arrogance, I enjoy the notion of rising. In my critical mind, ranking seems lame. In my systemic mind, I have long argued for ways of ranking and privileging that emphasize integral-friendly criteria rather than things like “recency” – which tend to be the default ranking qualities of superficial internet forums and social networks.
I think I am have (a little) fun getting notifications about my achievements as if this were a video game. Game-ification is based on the neuropsychology of flow and should be a key factor in our attempt to think of systems for the future. It is hard to face the sheer numbers of those who do not vote when we see how well corporations produce addictive gaming and advertising on a daily basis. If voting for the government of you nation is less enjoyable than playing Tetris or Star Wars: Battlefront (is that a real game?) then… your government doesn’t really want you to vote.
So how are we all feeling about this “start” to a new way of organizing and encouraging interaction? Personally I hate using the internet and want to enter as few passwords as possible, to go to as few pages as possible and to hear about as few new things as possible. So the mere fact that I am participating in this new incarnation of the site that I formerly moderated is encouraging… “something” is making it seem non-useless. At least for now. Am I being motivated by trust levels? I am certainly be encouraged by them…
I’ll bet that most users are thinking about it much. However it is in the background, in the framing. When we check – how are we relating to it? I’m sure Corey would love to know…
I’ve actually thought about this a bit previous to this thread appearing. I find the trust levels useful in understanding what kinds of participation are valued and how. I find the badges motivating to try new things and explore the full functionality of the interface, but I’m not sure I’m very motivated by the trust levels for a couple of reasons.
The cards stacked against my advancement are:
It seems like I might be one of the most generous users in terms of distributing likes.
It appears that I am not particularly good at communicating in a way that resonates strongly with others, so it might be a very long time before I graduate to the next trust level, simply because I will have difficulty attaining the prerequisite likes. I have found that I tend to rub folks the wrong way, no matter how hard I try to grease the wheels both online and in person. This is very likely based somewhat in my biology.
I appreciate reading and learning more than contributing to the conversations, and I often find that by the time I’ve composed a response, someone has already expressed a similar view to my own in a much more eloquent way than I would have been able, so I abstain from adding my own 2 cents, which will likely just clog or slow the conversation. It also takes me a very long time to reflect, compose, and edit a response. I only post about 20-50% of the posts I’ve written, when after reflection I think that I’m contributing something helpful, useful, or semi-unique to the conversation or the person asking questions.
I totally agree. My attempt at an education system alternative/supplement is based on this concept. It’s so much easier to explore and learn when it’s disguised as play.
Isn’t that how most governments have traditionally operated? I thought that they’re built on mechanisms designed to maintain stability and nothing wrecks traditional stability more than everyone voicing their diverse opinions/choices.
I’m the complete opposite, with the exception of not wanting to memorize a bunch of different passwords. I have found the internet to be an incredibly amazing tool for accessing ideas, finding information, reading research, and learning new skills. It makes looking up definitions and connotations to words and phrases so much easier, which has greatly helped facilitate my understanding of others’ communications. I discover and explore organizations, ideologies, cultures, and communities online. I find diverse opinions and perspectives. I find experiences that resonate with my own and validation that I’m not alone. The internet is a big reason that I’m here. Mind you, I despise facebook and spend a lot of time on wikipedia, so I guess it really depends on how one uses it and for what purpose.
Coda,
I look forward to and read every single word you write. I find you highly informed, intelligent, inquisitive/curious, sensitive, and just downright likable . You have never rubbed me wrong. So here are some more “likes” LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE!
(And I hope this isn’t embarrassing to you, but I’ve wanted to say it for awhile, and this was a good opportunity.)
@LaWanna , I chose to view this updated topic first because I saw that your icon appeared in the topic listing and thought you had added your own perspective on the trust levels. I prioritized it because I admire your wisdom and communication style and I have found a lot of value in reading and reflecting on your perspectives. I was so surprised by your reply to me. Your reply is the highlight of my week. I laughed so hard and I’m truly touched by your sincere appreciation of my contributions. Your thoughtful and kind words mean a lot to me. Thank you so much!
@HawaiianRyan , hahaha. I guess that means you haven’t gotten the notifications when I’ve liked your other posts?
To clarify about my previous post in this topic:
In my attempt to directly answer the topic question I neglected to mention that, although I am not motivated a huge amount by the trust levels, I don’t require such motivation in order to participate. And though I appreciate the additional “likes” I have received from my previous post, it wasn’t my intention to imply that I needed them to stay motivated or engaged. I am motivated to participate in the forum by the same forces that push me to study human development, which lead me to discover Ken Wilber’s work and brought me to the forum in the first place.
It had not occurred to me that folks would reply to my observations with additional likes.
I’m so glad this forum now exists, as I learn so much from what others post here.
. You have never rubbed me wrong. So here are some more “likes” LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE!
