Do you believe that Y!A could represent a microcosm of the real world?

Question

♥No matter how much significance you place on it personally?

Ragnarok, I appreciate your answer, but many groups are under-represented in the real world as well.

And I check things other than Wiki as well.

Answer 1

there are different personality types, that know each other only superficially, by weird little avatars. its full of people that come and go, those who stay and listen, those who abuse, those who learn, those who seek help, those who fear, those who love and those who feel saddness or pain. each person is able to have a sense of duality. the inner nature known only to ourselves and a second/outer front known by, or presented to others. in a way its very much like a little society. each person sees it as a different vehicle, but we are all constrained by similar roads.

i call shotgun :)

Answer 2

First, I think not, because much of the world doesn't have internet access. The posters here are a subset of those people in the world with certain amounts of resources.

Secondly, some countries in the world restrict, monitor or censor internet activity. This causes a certain type of behavior in countries with less freedoms. One could argue, that point still represents a microcosm of the world, as long as one factors in the limitations of who can participate, and how free the posters feel from possible repercussions..

Thirdly, language barriers present a bit of a problem. Many of us only are fluent in one language, and really cannot communicate with other country components of Y!A,. Even the non-native, fluent speakers may have different cultural prisms which reflect the way they ask and answer, which are interpreted differently from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Fourthly, there are many people in the world who simply lack the time or interest to participate in Y!A. Work, family, recreation and social activities simply do not allow many people to participate. Personally, I wouldn't have had time to lurk on this site very much, if at all, at most of the other points in my life.

So I think certain groups are disproportionately under-represented here.


The points I made above do not completely rule out Y!A as a microcosm of the world, if one recognizes that there are restrictions for most of the world that rule out free and open discourse, on a site that has no privacy, regardless of what one may assume.

I think it is more a representation of a limited subset of people, best viewed through the perspective of a strong basis in critical thinking within the milieu of cultural anthropology. Critical thinking goes beyond simply checking wiki, because although I often use wiki myself, I recognize that even wiki has many errors in it, posted for whatever reasons.

Y!A is a fascinating resource. An ideal would be that it will cause people to engage in more critical thinking and fact-checking, and somehow increase the dialog among regular people from different cultures, even when they have much different beliefs in the "facts" they were taught in history or other school classes.

Sorry this is so long, but it was an interesting question.

Edit: My statements are simply my statements, and are not an indictment or challenge of the questioner. My statement may stay on the answer history for a while, and readers will judge me on my statements listed above. That is their right. My contact is open by email if anyone is offended.

Answer 3

A microcosm is representative of the macrocosm. Your question is redudant. In "actual life"? I in basic terms consult from a set of a few human beings at a time; comparable to I do right here. If I had the capacity to chat with six billion human beings at as quickly as (as, i can in basic terms assume, you have), then i could have a distinctive handle faith. having pronounced that, i wouldn't. the two way, i could be an atheist.

Answer 4

Possibly, in a way, but i find that the reel world, with all of its flaws is still much better.. oh the serenity of gazing into the deep shades of orange and blue as the sun sets over the horizon, with the moon pushing its way into the heavens...

Answer 5

I have entertained that idea, and it seems reasonable - the only problem with it being that I think most of the people here have some kind of obsessive behavior... which makes us more of a specific population than a universally representational one.

Answer 6

i think it represents a microcosm of the internet
the real world is much less cacophonous

Answer 7

Yes. I think it does. There is a wide variety of people here from all over the world. There are rude people, nice people, jealous petty people, beautiful people, unattractive people, amazing people, smart people, unintelligent people... (and varying combinations)..you name it, they are here....I think it is pretty fair to say, most are represented here.

Answer 8

It is a world, or community, in and of itself. Thus, it could be considered as such.

Answer 9

Slow down brother!! you are taking this way too seriously!!

Answer 10

yes
talking ,
sharing your mind is reality.
no mater how fare some might think you are from it.