Are There Fringes in Social Networks?
Just last week, on one of the social networking sites I frequent, someone uttered the word ‘fringe’ to describe commentary that they didn’t agree with. This got me thinking on the word itself and what it means in a social graph.
Fringe is a divisive word. It’s word meant to separate. It distinguishes between perceived social norms and those that exist in no-man’s land. Historically, those on the fringe of society have suffered discrimination and have had their freedoms curtailed. We don’t have to look very far back to see the marginalisation of women, homosexuals, immigrants and black people in our society. It still happens today.
In a social networking world, there are fewer labels that people conscribe to. One has their brand. A potent mix of their avatar and their voice. There may be fewer spokes onto which we can pile our descriminations, but they still exist.
We may believe that interacting across electrons instead vocally is a more immediate experience. That the same rules don’t exist for you and I - but they do. Afterall, aren’t we just moving conversation onto a new platform? The meaning of the voices doesn’t change. As does the law that safe-guards our liberties.
In a social graph, there are no fringes. There are just links between conversations of interest. Those links are you and I. Now matter how one tries to dissimiate and slice apart the social habitat, no fringe can be identified. We’re just interacting. Sharing a moment.
To me, the usage of the word ‘fringe’ is a human cop-out. It merely serves to give someone a rung to stand on, on the ladder of descrimination.
November 7th, 2007 at 5:14 am
[...] If you want to thrash valid opinion use the word “fringes”. [...]