Subject:
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Re: Lego(r) Master Maniac designation?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Wed, 30 Dec 1998 15:18:27 GMT
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Viewed:
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910 times
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Matthew Verdier wrote:
> Essentially, what is being discussed is creating an elite group of Lego
> enthusiasts. A social club of Lego Maniacs. Fellow Lego Maniacs will dole
> out the prize of holding this title based on the persons social standing
> within the group. Oh sure, the group will try to quantify what makes one
> eligible for membership, but it will ultimately come down to interpersonal
> relationships. Anyone the group doesn't like won't get in no matter what.
> Those the group does, will be admitted regardless of the contributions or
> lack-there-of to the Lego community.
I won't speak for Larry (whose idea this was in the first place),
but that's certainly nothing like anything I ever had in mind, and
if that's what this thing degenerates into, I'll call it a failure
and move on. Do you believe that the outcome you describe is
inevitable, or can you imagine ways to avoid it? Constructive
suggestions always welcome.
Most recently, the discussion has considered the possibility of
separate awards for service and for skill. The service award
(seems to me) is an unqualified good thing. It's a way for a
grateful community to express its thanks to exceptional
individuals (possibly organizations?) for service to the hobby.
Since intemperate language might tend to undermine the community,
I can see that being a possible criterion for the award. I've
proposed that it be voted by the broad-based general membership
of the yet-to-be-organized organization, so the voting members
could apply whatever criteria they like.
The skill awards (according to the proposal) would be awarded by
special interest groups in any of several areas, but not (as you
seem to anticipate) by accepting outsiders into the club, but more
like promoting people out of it. It's not "You're almost as good
as us", but rather "You're better than most of us". From your
point of view, you're not trying to push your way into the club,
rather your peers are honoring your skill by pushing you up. An
exercise in humility, really. This would seem to reduce the
likelihood of it becoming an elite social club, which, I agree,
would be a bad thing.
[Another thing that I like about the SIG based system, is that SIG
members are more likely than a central committee to understand
what mastery of their area requires, so are more likely to adopt
appropriate selection criteria. Beyond that, who knows what could
happen. As semi-independent organizations, SIGs could sponsor
competitions, intermediate awards, newsletters, SIGfests, whatever.]
> I am not sure we have to describe people as anything. I am not positive
> what benefit creating this designation would provide other than boosting the
> egos of those handing out the designations and those receiving them.
I don't know that we, as a community, need to receive any tangible
benefit in order to make this worth doing. Is there anything
wrong with recognizing and rewarding excellence for its own sake?
There may be unanticipated benefits down the road (perhaps the
lure of honors will draw some unheralded genius out of lurkerdom),
but that's neither a necessary nor a sufficient reason for doing
this.
--
Steve Jacquot
sj5w@virginia.edu
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | Re: Lego(r) Master Maniac designation?
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| (...) I'm involved (running, actually) a local 'social club' based around a completely different hobby, but the basics are the same, regardless of where the special interest lies. The biggest single thing that a group can do to avoid the 'elitism' (...) (25 years ago, 30-Dec-98, to lugnet.general)
| | | Re: Lego(r) Master Maniac designation?
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| Steve Jacquot wrote in message <368A4443.41C6@kali....ia.edu>... (...) dole (...) interpersonal (...) what. (...) I tend to be cynical, and distrust organizations in general. A random sampling of webpages that focus on hobbies has led me to believe (...) (25 years ago, 30-Dec-98, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Lego(r) Master Maniac designation?
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| Janet Zorn wrote in message ... (...) Personally, I think it is unhealthy to isolate your children from the world. Too much isolation leaves them unprepared to make the hard choices they are going to have to make throughout the course of their (...) (25 years ago, 30-Dec-98, to lugnet.general)
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