LIAC Dynamics
It was Pillowfeather's post that got me to thinking about the LIAC community and its dynamics.
When I say 'LIAC Community', I'm not just talking about the people that post here, or the site's readership. I'm talking about everybody that, in some way, agrees with part or all of the LIAC concept (see the description above, or the FAQ Q's 1-3 for details). Unwittingly or not, all of those people are part of the community we've defined here. It's just a matter of time before they find there's a banner beneath which they might gather and shamble around moaning in an offensive manner.
But such a community, by the definition of love, must be constantly changing its participants. Not only that, but the nature of its participants must be changing simply by fact of entering the dialogue here. Not only that, but the mood of the site changes according to the participants, as trains of thought spring up and run their course whilst (hopefully) making people think and reiterate their views towards a more universal, stable and considered level.
1. Changing Userbase
As one falls in and out of love, and by varying amounts, the amount that one might understand or contribute here is going to change dramatically. If I fell in love tomorrow, I'd feel positively blasphemous posting on here (although I might still read). Then again, when I crash back out of love, I will be posting more than I do now. So we can never rely on having a solid 'fanbase', as it were.
2. Individual Mentality Shift
I feel that people post on public websites for very distinct reasons. I think those distinct reasons are fairly straightforward for a site where every post is a grumble or moan or insight or explanation of love. It's a release of inner feelings and emotions, into the wide open world, and in a way it helps to stop the pressure building up inside. It also takes confused thoughts and feelings, and organises them better, because the very act of constructing a good post implies it. Thusly, with every new post, one person has become a little less fucked up and a little more understanding of him/herself and the world around them. And, perhaps, many people will read it and remake a little of themselves in a better way too.
3. Paradigm Shifts
As points are argued and discussed here, and while the trains of thought run their course to final destinations, I'd suppose that the mentality of the whole group does change. As hopeless romantics, as well, the tide can turn for and against love here - we, after all, are all here because we do believe in true love on some level. All in all, from what I've observed, I see people learning and growing amidst the shared experiences here, and with every shift in overall mentality, the site (if we consider it to be a growing entity full of our combined thoughts) is becoming wiser.
That can't be a bad thing.
Overall, I think this is more of a halfway house for those that are trying to find love but have fallen by the wayside. It's a place to rest and spit angst about the bears that mauled you on the mountain-trail. And as it becomes more and more fully established, I can see it becoming a place of sage advice and shared tales, which rather than demolishes the last vestiges of romance from your heart, will spur you back onto the trail to face the bears with stronger spirit.
Because in moaning, we release. In crying, we accept. In sharing, we learn. And in learning, we love.
Now cunt off.
When I say 'LIAC Community', I'm not just talking about the people that post here, or the site's readership. I'm talking about everybody that, in some way, agrees with part or all of the LIAC concept (see the description above, or the FAQ Q's 1-3 for details). Unwittingly or not, all of those people are part of the community we've defined here. It's just a matter of time before they find there's a banner beneath which they might gather and shamble around moaning in an offensive manner.
But such a community, by the definition of love, must be constantly changing its participants. Not only that, but the nature of its participants must be changing simply by fact of entering the dialogue here. Not only that, but the mood of the site changes according to the participants, as trains of thought spring up and run their course whilst (hopefully) making people think and reiterate their views towards a more universal, stable and considered level.
1. Changing Userbase
As one falls in and out of love, and by varying amounts, the amount that one might understand or contribute here is going to change dramatically. If I fell in love tomorrow, I'd feel positively blasphemous posting on here (although I might still read). Then again, when I crash back out of love, I will be posting more than I do now. So we can never rely on having a solid 'fanbase', as it were.
2. Individual Mentality Shift
I feel that people post on public websites for very distinct reasons. I think those distinct reasons are fairly straightforward for a site where every post is a grumble or moan or insight or explanation of love. It's a release of inner feelings and emotions, into the wide open world, and in a way it helps to stop the pressure building up inside. It also takes confused thoughts and feelings, and organises them better, because the very act of constructing a good post implies it. Thusly, with every new post, one person has become a little less fucked up and a little more understanding of him/herself and the world around them. And, perhaps, many people will read it and remake a little of themselves in a better way too.
3. Paradigm Shifts
As points are argued and discussed here, and while the trains of thought run their course to final destinations, I'd suppose that the mentality of the whole group does change. As hopeless romantics, as well, the tide can turn for and against love here - we, after all, are all here because we do believe in true love on some level. All in all, from what I've observed, I see people learning and growing amidst the shared experiences here, and with every shift in overall mentality, the site (if we consider it to be a growing entity full of our combined thoughts) is becoming wiser.
That can't be a bad thing.
Overall, I think this is more of a halfway house for those that are trying to find love but have fallen by the wayside. It's a place to rest and spit angst about the bears that mauled you on the mountain-trail. And as it becomes more and more fully established, I can see it becoming a place of sage advice and shared tales, which rather than demolishes the last vestiges of romance from your heart, will spur you back onto the trail to face the bears with stronger spirit.
Because in moaning, we release. In crying, we accept. In sharing, we learn. And in learning, we love.
Now cunt off.
posted by Juliet is Bleeding... | 11:16 am
Excellent points all, and the second point about shifting individual viewpoints was especially good. Since you mention the "definition of love" in your third paragraph, it should be noted (although it is implied) that how people define love is completely subjective as well. Love means so many things to different people in terms of what it looks like, how it plays out in the real world apart from jaded esoteric diatribes.
However, at some point, in every life, eventually everyone agrees that love is a massive, hairy, dripping, herpes-laden whore-cunt, even if only for a short time. (And if it's only for a short time we can thank a pleasant little dynamic popularly known as "rebounding," wherein we find a new relationship rather than deal with the causes and effects of the last horrid heartbreak we experienced, which really just starts the whole process over again. But I'll save that rant for another time.)
Great post!
Ta for the kudos. Looking forward to agreeing with you on the 'Rebound' issue...