By way of introduction, I also include below HB's post to the newsgroup rec.games.bolo for help in gathering material for the second, much longer paper.
Put Bolo to use for Science!
OK, well, sorta. I've already written one paper for my psychology
class on bolo, and I am putting together a much longer one for my final
paper. I will post both of them here when the class is complete. But I
could use some help for finishing up the one that remains!
The topic of the paper relates to the "fragmentation of the self" --
lots of considerations of post-modern conceptions of the individual and
so on. But all you have to do is fill out a simple survey relating to
the game. If you are a regular Bolo player and have 10 minutes to spare,
please answer out the following questions and send them to me. I am
trying to compile general information and potential case studies for my
paper, which is what the info will be used for.
I will probably quote bits and pieces of your answers (maybe more,
if they're really interesting) in the paper. If you DON'T want me to use
your answers, please still send them to me but let me know that you want
to be anonymous.
Thanks!
If you use more than one identity on the net, just pluralize all the
references to "identity" in the following questions. Here are the questions:
-- Does your "net personality," the identity you express in bolo games,
reflect your "real" self and state of mind, or is it an assumed
identity distinct from your real-world identity? Does your Bolo
identity cross over into your non-net life?
-- Do you feel your bolo identity is an extension of your "real" self,
or an actual seperate identity? Or is it something else?
-- Are there other areas of life (other than Bolo) where you have
seperate identities?
-- Do you feel your conception of your self has changed since you began
using a seperate identity in Bolo?
-- Must you make an active effort to remain "in character" on the net,
or is it easy to slip into a personality?
Joseph Goodman, jgoodma1@swarthmore.edu
aka Hillbilly Bob