topynate comments on You're Calling *Who* A Cult Leader? - Less Wrong

45 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 22 March 2009 06:57AM

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Comment author: topynate 22 March 2009 08:35:52AM 4 points [-]

Great point, and I think that the "competition", if there is competition, isn't with PG or EY but with everyone else.

Comment author: ciphergoth 22 March 2009 11:04:03AM 5 points [-]

There is an essay about this by Pavel Curtis, creator of LambdaMOO - he would frequently find that newcomers would respond to his perceived status by being exaggeratedly rude to his character, showing off that they were prepared to stand up to the Man, so long as of course they could do it in perfect safety under the cover of anonymity.

Comment author: ciphergoth 03 August 2011 11:21:56AM *  4 points [-]

Found it: Mudding: Social Phenomena in Text-Based Virtual Realities

Most players on LambdaMOO, for example, upon first encountering my wizard player, treat me with almost exaggerated deference and respect. I am frequently called 'sir' and players often apologize for 'wasting' my time. A significant minority, however, appear to go to great lengths to prove that they are not impressed by my office or power, speaking to me quite bluntly and making demands that I assist them with their problems using the system, sometimes to the point of rudeness.

Comment author: Rain 03 August 2011 04:31:38PM *  0 points [-]

'Exagerrated rudeness' could also be a product of the greater internet dickwad theory.

Attitudes toward MUD wiz teams are also part politics, since the leaders are often dictators of the local environment.

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