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Microcosm
Basically, a microcosm is a subset of a larger similar environment. A park is a microcosm of a jungle. A town is a microcosm of a city, and Neopoet is a microcosm of the world.
About now several people are rushing to their favourite on-line dictionaries to copy and past the one and only true definition of a microcosm and shout that I am wrong.
Never trust people who behave in this way. They are petty and vengeful and motivated by insecurity and hate.
When someone uses a phrase or word in a manner you do not agree, ask them for a definition, then tell them how you use it. This is called "defining terms" and is critical to any real communication.
Language is an imperfect tool thus at least attempting to define terms is critical if you want to do more than pretend superiority.
A case in point:
Strawberry.
The base definition is a fruit.
Many folks also include "sweet, delicious, comforting, love, etc" in their use of the term.
Me, when I think of strawberries, I think "vile, sour, disgusting, revulsion."
So if I were to be talking to someone and the term strawberries came up, we would probably be operating under separate definitions. and should they quote definitions "proving" they are right, what of it? It still does not change my perception of the word and anything past "fruit" becomes valueless.
In the microcosm that is Neopoet we have all the standard players represented in the world.
We have the bullies and the sycophants, and the ne'er-do-wells, and the pompous, and the arrogant, and the dishonest, and the hypocritical, and the petty, and the hateful, and the insecure, and even some folks who are not so bad, once you get to know them.
Because one of the consequences of a microcosm is that small traits are magnified. So even though, with rare exception, no one is always one thing or the other, in a microcosm it can seem that way and undue focus can be leveled at an attribute and, through personal decision or community conclusion, that attribute can come to define a person.
If you have always wanted to be tough, it is easy to be tough in a microcosm. If you've always wanted to be clever, it's easier to be clever in a microcosm, and if you've always wanted to be superior, it's easier to be superior in a microcosm. Because you do not have to compete with the world, just the subset. The number of people you have to convince is small and then they spread your reputation because they are counting on you spreading theirs.
Microcosms become very important to folks. They become a safe haven from the world, a place where they can make a mark and stand out, just like they should in the real world if the real world could recognise their greatness.
It has been my experience that the people shouting most loudly in a microcosm are normally those who feel they have failed in other areas. I do not say they have failed, just that they feel they have done so and as a result are compensating by establishing their reputation in the microcosm.
So what to do?
For me it is easy.
If I do not like something about myself, I work to change it. Thus I do not feel the need to justify it in a microcosm.
If I do not gain value from an effort, I stop it, thus I do not feel the need to be resentful.
When I make mistakes, I acknowledge them, thus I do not feel the need to feel guilty
When people threaten, I accept it, thus I remove that threat from play forever.
I endeavour to treat people with respect and dignity until they prove this is not compatible with their life choices.
And I always have the same persona presented to any world be it business, personal, or a microcosm I have chosen to join.
Since everything I do is a consistent extension of my public stances, i have nothing to remember and can concentrate on the gravity, the reality of the situation rather than trying to weave a cloak of soap bubbles to distort how the world perceives me and how I perceive the world.
But that's just me. I don't pretend this is an answer for anyone else, just that it works, mostly, for me, most of the time.
About now several people are rushing to their favourite on-line dictionaries to copy and past the one and only true definition of a microcosm and shout that I am wrong.
Never trust people who behave in this way. They are petty and vengeful and motivated by insecurity and hate.
When someone uses a phrase or word in a manner you do not agree, ask them for a definition, then tell them how you use it. This is called "defining terms" and is critical to any real communication.
Language is an imperfect tool thus at least attempting to define terms is critical if you want to do more than pretend superiority.
A case in point:
Strawberry.
The base definition is a fruit.
Many folks also include "sweet, delicious, comforting, love, etc" in their use of the term.
Me, when I think of strawberries, I think "vile, sour, disgusting, revulsion."
So if I were to be talking to someone and the term strawberries came up, we would probably be operating under separate definitions. and should they quote definitions "proving" they are right, what of it? It still does not change my perception of the word and anything past "fruit" becomes valueless.
In the microcosm that is Neopoet we have all the standard players represented in the world.
We have the bullies and the sycophants, and the ne'er-do-wells, and the pompous, and the arrogant, and the dishonest, and the hypocritical, and the petty, and the hateful, and the insecure, and even some folks who are not so bad, once you get to know them.
Because one of the consequences of a microcosm is that small traits are magnified. So even though, with rare exception, no one is always one thing or the other, in a microcosm it can seem that way and undue focus can be leveled at an attribute and, through personal decision or community conclusion, that attribute can come to define a person.
If you have always wanted to be tough, it is easy to be tough in a microcosm. If you've always wanted to be clever, it's easier to be clever in a microcosm, and if you've always wanted to be superior, it's easier to be superior in a microcosm. Because you do not have to compete with the world, just the subset. The number of people you have to convince is small and then they spread your reputation because they are counting on you spreading theirs.
Microcosms become very important to folks. They become a safe haven from the world, a place where they can make a mark and stand out, just like they should in the real world if the real world could recognise their greatness.
It has been my experience that the people shouting most loudly in a microcosm are normally those who feel they have failed in other areas. I do not say they have failed, just that they feel they have done so and as a result are compensating by establishing their reputation in the microcosm.
So what to do?
For me it is easy.
If I do not like something about myself, I work to change it. Thus I do not feel the need to justify it in a microcosm.
If I do not gain value from an effort, I stop it, thus I do not feel the need to be resentful.
When I make mistakes, I acknowledge them, thus I do not feel the need to feel guilty
When people threaten, I accept it, thus I remove that threat from play forever.
I endeavour to treat people with respect and dignity until they prove this is not compatible with their life choices.
And I always have the same persona presented to any world be it business, personal, or a microcosm I have chosen to join.
Since everything I do is a consistent extension of my public stances, i have nothing to remember and can concentrate on the gravity, the reality of the situation rather than trying to weave a cloak of soap bubbles to distort how the world perceives me and how I perceive the world.
But that's just me. I don't pretend this is an answer for anyone else, just that it works, mostly, for me, most of the time.