Mika's Proposal

Mika here,

Several recent threads have been a wonderful, if exhausting, experience for me. But in our discussions, I see a common thread that is germaine to the whole idea of web socicology in particular and the internet in general and the future most broadly of all:

How can people of wildly different world views deal with each other?

A proposal:

I think we should first begin with the realization that there is such a thing as a "world view," and then that there are different world views. This is not the same as a "difference of opinion." A differing world view means that the fundamental "way of understanding" is different. More like differing operating systems than differing applications.
That as members of one of the first real "global communities" we consciously strive to "check our results on different platforms." That is, that we consciously work towards undestanding what "platform independence" means. Trans-gender, trans-racial, trans-cultural , trans ________. (whathaveyou).
That though we work in English, we conciously pursue a tolerance for ambiguity, a suspension of judgment, and an awareness that no - people are not "the same wherever you go." (apologies notwithstanding to Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney).
That wherever possible, we adopt Veritiy's BYATHWAWF (beat you about the head with a wet fish :-), especially when someone begins to take himself/herself too seriously. And that we use self-depricating humor in place of other-depricating humor.
That we recognize and honor the near impossibility of all the above.
That we always remember what an honor it is to have this chance to build a global community.
Input please!

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