Chat Room
The chat room in Suicide Girls raises a host of issues, which have been brought to the forefront as I've become conscious that other people are noticing my presence in the room. Some appear to be uncomfortable with my being there.
The chat room did not exist when I first joined SGs. It was revived several months ago (apparently it had existed sometime in the past). I immediately became fascinated with it. The introduction of the chat room also coincided with my purchasing a web cam. Teenagers and twenty-somethings grew up with the existence of chat rooms whereas for members of my generation they are an entirely new phenomena. For the former, the chat room is a familiar and comfortable environment where peers share a common lingua franca and codes of conduct. As for myself, the chat room is akin to entering a foreign land, where people speak a foreign language often using shorthand phrases to communicate with one another. To add to the confusion, members can speak to one another privately through instant messaging, which is akin to whispering in someone else's ear.
From what I can tell, only half of the members of the chat room are participating in the public conversation at any time. Others are merely observing the conversation or perhaps they are having backdoor conversations (i.e. - instant messaging) with other members. In any event, there is undoubtedly a voyeuristic element to the chat room, particularly when you include the presence of web cams.
Web cams are in my mind, a truly revolutionary means of communication. In its essence a web cam allows a user to communicate with others across a room or half way around the world in real time. In a chat room, those that have a web cam can be seen by others and in return watch other web cam users. In reality this is a variant of voyeurism. When you have a chat room composed of those aged primary between 18 and 30 all kinds of mischief can ensue, which I needn't elaborate on here. The reader can use their imagination.
The chat room has its habitual users making up a kind of virtual community. If you are not a member of this community, it feels as if you are stepping into a party where everyone knows one another and you know no one. If you take into account that these strangers are half your age then the feeling of being out of place is exaggerated. Those within the chat room appear to be highly sensitive when their space is invaded by a stranger, particularly if that stranger is old enough to be their dad, which brings me to the subject of my topic.
I've become fascinated with the chat room. Over the last several months, I've found myself visiting the chat room several times a week, usually late at night. Sometimes I'll just follow the conversation, which can sometimes come at you like a ping pong ball, eyes blurring to the scrolling text. Other times I'll comment, when the spirit moves me, on something someone has said. I have a tendency to make playful comments, often humorous, although sometimes I think my humor may evade other members. It seems I've developed an addiction to the chat room for reasons that are not entirely clear to me. The conversations are sometimes amusing, sometimes gossipy, and other times inane. The conversations are often coded in shorthand I don't understand. Most of the time, I have my web cam on so that members are aware of my presence. As mentioned previously, part of the fascination surely involves a voyeuristic element. Lately, however, I've noticed my presence has begun to disturb some members, who can't fathom why someone my age would frequent a twenty-something chat room. I feel pretty sure they have referenced my presence as "creepy" and somewhat suspect. I believe that some members have been discussing my presence via instant messaging. I also believe, some members have created aliases for me when discussing me in public.
Perhaps they are right to question my presence. Perhaps a young persons' chat room is not an appropriate place for a 50 year old man to be. On the other hand, I'm a paying member of SGs and I should be able to utilize all of the web site's features. Perhaps they suspect I am ogling the girls orI have sinister motives. I will admit to being slightly amused when the young ladies play their "girls gone wild games" but I have never said anything inappropriate or acted in a way that could be interpreted as sexual harassment. Compared to the cutting remarks members make at each other, my presence is fairly benign.
In the beginning, it didn't seem that my presence aroused much interest. Only recently did I notice a chill in the air when I entered the chat room. It feels as if the hostility originates more with the male members than the women members but I could be wrong. The more I noticed the chill, the quieter I've become. I've started using my cam less and stopped watching other people's cams. I think my attempts to make myself invisible has aroused suspicions even more. I think that may have been a mistake.
As to whether or not it is appropriate for a man my age to interact with young adults is arguable. I think if I was married with children, and had a daughter the same age as some of the girls on web site, it might raise some legitimate questions. But I am not married nor do I have children. What they don't perceive is that I am attracted to the web site for the same reasons many of them are. SGs offers me a respite from the real world where I feel I don't fit in. I'm attracted to a countercultural community just like they are. In the beginning, I was attracted to the pictures of the sexy, young pin-ups like anybody else. But now, I find most of my time spent reading through group threads and the boards. Perhaps it would be better if there was more than one chat room. For example, a chat rooms organized by age or interest group. There is one group for members who are over 30. It is called "Geezers." I'd be curious to know exactly what the age demographics of SGs is. There are over a thousand members on the "Geezers" group and that obviously does not include the whole universe of the those 30 and older.
I think SGs is merely a phase for me, a curiosity, which I will eventually outgrow. Perhaps there is a more age appropriate, countercultural web site out there that I don't know about. But one with naked chicks?
The chat room in Suicide Girls raises a host of issues, which have been brought to the forefront as I've become conscious that other people are noticing my presence in the room. Some appear to be uncomfortable with my being there.
The chat room did not exist when I first joined SGs. It was revived several months ago (apparently it had existed sometime in the past). I immediately became fascinated with it. The introduction of the chat room also coincided with my purchasing a web cam. Teenagers and twenty-somethings grew up with the existence of chat rooms whereas for members of my generation they are an entirely new phenomena. For the former, the chat room is a familiar and comfortable environment where peers share a common lingua franca and codes of conduct. As for myself, the chat room is akin to entering a foreign land, where people speak a foreign language often using shorthand phrases to communicate with one another. To add to the confusion, members can speak to one another privately through instant messaging, which is akin to whispering in someone else's ear.
From what I can tell, only half of the members of the chat room are participating in the public conversation at any time. Others are merely observing the conversation or perhaps they are having backdoor conversations (i.e. - instant messaging) with other members. In any event, there is undoubtedly a voyeuristic element to the chat room, particularly when you include the presence of web cams.
Web cams are in my mind, a truly revolutionary means of communication. In its essence a web cam allows a user to communicate with others across a room or half way around the world in real time. In a chat room, those that have a web cam can be seen by others and in return watch other web cam users. In reality this is a variant of voyeurism. When you have a chat room composed of those aged primary between 18 and 30 all kinds of mischief can ensue, which I needn't elaborate on here. The reader can use their imagination.
The chat room has its habitual users making up a kind of virtual community. If you are not a member of this community, it feels as if you are stepping into a party where everyone knows one another and you know no one. If you take into account that these strangers are half your age then the feeling of being out of place is exaggerated. Those within the chat room appear to be highly sensitive when their space is invaded by a stranger, particularly if that stranger is old enough to be their dad, which brings me to the subject of my topic.
I've become fascinated with the chat room. Over the last several months, I've found myself visiting the chat room several times a week, usually late at night. Sometimes I'll just follow the conversation, which can sometimes come at you like a ping pong ball, eyes blurring to the scrolling text. Other times I'll comment, when the spirit moves me, on something someone has said. I have a tendency to make playful comments, often humorous, although sometimes I think my humor may evade other members. It seems I've developed an addiction to the chat room for reasons that are not entirely clear to me. The conversations are sometimes amusing, sometimes gossipy, and other times inane. The conversations are often coded in shorthand I don't understand. Most of the time, I have my web cam on so that members are aware of my presence. As mentioned previously, part of the fascination surely involves a voyeuristic element. Lately, however, I've noticed my presence has begun to disturb some members, who can't fathom why someone my age would frequent a twenty-something chat room. I feel pretty sure they have referenced my presence as "creepy" and somewhat suspect. I believe that some members have been discussing my presence via instant messaging. I also believe, some members have created aliases for me when discussing me in public.
Perhaps they are right to question my presence. Perhaps a young persons' chat room is not an appropriate place for a 50 year old man to be. On the other hand, I'm a paying member of SGs and I should be able to utilize all of the web site's features. Perhaps they suspect I am ogling the girls orI have sinister motives. I will admit to being slightly amused when the young ladies play their "girls gone wild games" but I have never said anything inappropriate or acted in a way that could be interpreted as sexual harassment. Compared to the cutting remarks members make at each other, my presence is fairly benign.
In the beginning, it didn't seem that my presence aroused much interest. Only recently did I notice a chill in the air when I entered the chat room. It feels as if the hostility originates more with the male members than the women members but I could be wrong. The more I noticed the chill, the quieter I've become. I've started using my cam less and stopped watching other people's cams. I think my attempts to make myself invisible has aroused suspicions even more. I think that may have been a mistake.
As to whether or not it is appropriate for a man my age to interact with young adults is arguable. I think if I was married with children, and had a daughter the same age as some of the girls on web site, it might raise some legitimate questions. But I am not married nor do I have children. What they don't perceive is that I am attracted to the web site for the same reasons many of them are. SGs offers me a respite from the real world where I feel I don't fit in. I'm attracted to a countercultural community just like they are. In the beginning, I was attracted to the pictures of the sexy, young pin-ups like anybody else. But now, I find most of my time spent reading through group threads and the boards. Perhaps it would be better if there was more than one chat room. For example, a chat rooms organized by age or interest group. There is one group for members who are over 30. It is called "Geezers." I'd be curious to know exactly what the age demographics of SGs is. There are over a thousand members on the "Geezers" group and that obviously does not include the whole universe of the those 30 and older.
I think SGs is merely a phase for me, a curiosity, which I will eventually outgrow. Perhaps there is a more age appropriate, countercultural web site out there that I don't know about. But one with naked chicks?
btw, i just snagged an interview for tomorrow!!!!!! i need a second job so bad