Here's to the lurkers

I have a lot of appreciation and even respect for lurkers. For the diffident like me, lurking can be a great way to get to know more about folks with whom you have tangential connections or loose affiliations. It can also be a wonderful way to exercise your intellect by reading and thinking about the many very intelligent things that some of those on the intertubes have to offer. In a professional context, lurking often takes me into realms of discourse where I do not have the inclination to participate but which nonetheless enrich my professional life.



As I respect lurkers, I think that I am a respectful and thoughtful lurker. I try to take what is available for me to observe publicly in the terms in which it is given--to interact when I feel I have something of value to offer, to follow only as closely or as far as I am invited to by anothers' words, images or audio. Above all, I hope that I have never put my thoughts or feelings about those I observer into a space that would intrude on them personally (in place of work, with friends and family, or with anyone else who happens to be lurking) without them having an opportunityto know the source of what I might write or say and to communicate directly with me if they choose.



Clearly the nature of the social web tells us all that my particular view and hoped-for practice of lurking is a highly idealized one that we cannot reasonably believe we will encounter when we put our words, images, or audio out in public. Perhaps the best we can do is to value those who are willing to respect what they encounter of us online--as I hope I do.

Diffidence and Lurking

Thanks to Gaping Void for summing up the root of my personal diffidence (at least for today).

I've been doing more lurking today, particularly on Twitter and the Library Society of the World all by way of Meebo.

Much conversation in all places librarian about Michael Gorman's latest (I have joined those who choose not to link). It is not so much that specific content of the conversations that pulls me in to lurk, but that there are intelligent people saying thoughtful things. In listening to them, I allow my own thoughts to stir in ways that I have avoided for many years. Thinking and analyzing the world around me for its own sake--not to perform my job or not carry on the mundane details of my personal life--but to enjoy the exercise of my own intellect in places that thoughtful people find worthy of intelligent conversation. Mind, I do not hold that intelligent conversation cannot be silly or must have about it the air of high seriousness. Most conversations that I find to be intelligent are so, in part, because the parties do not take themselves too seriously.

I guess that all of this is a way to explain my lurking. I don't think that it is voyeurism, or any disdain for participating in the conversations to which I am drawn, or even a great concern that everyone will get to laugh at me when I finally find my own way to jump into the conversation. For now it is just that I feel best adding my voice to the conversation in the slow and halting format of a diffident blogger.

So if you stumble upon SMKVT in your Meebo room or on Twitter I hope you will find your way here to see the few words that I have to offer.