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In lugnet.general, Tim Courtney writes:
> Over the better part of the last year, I've done a lot of thinking about the
> LEGO hobby and the LEGO community, trying to develop a philosophy on it
> which I use to channel my efforts, energies, and interactions. I'm
> interested in hearing others' thoughts on the LEGO community.
I've found this discussion to be one of the most interesting topics on LUGNET
in a long time. Thanks, Tim, for bringing it up. There have been tons of
thoughtful responses so far, which seems to suggest that there _is_ a community
and that we are involved and concerned about how we define ourselves and what
we are as a group.
> Particularly - what do you think the LEGO community includes? what does it
> exclude?
My main concern here is _who_ it excludes and why. Are there people out there
that are interested in LEGO, have come by this site and been turned away? I
think it is likely to assume that that has been the case. What are some of the
reasons that people have not stayed or gone away after experiencing this
community? Here are some of my thoughts (this is all speculation, btw):
Is there a culture here that makes it seem inaccessible to the casual fan of
LEGO? Are the number of newsgroups too overwhelming? Too much
compartmentalization? Are there unwritten rules that newbies are afraid to
violate? Or does it seem worth the trouble to get to know them? Is there a
"way things should be" attitude from long-time members that intimidate
newcomers?
Some questions a new person might have upon seeing LUGNET (speculation, again):
Where can I post a message so that it won't be out of place?
Will I be reprimanded for posting to the inappropriate group?
What is the appropriate group for my message?
What's all this crossposting, followup to, etc.?
People take these polls seriously -- what if I make a poll that isn't
up-to-snuff?
My political beliefs don't seem to be welcome here...
My religious beliefs don't seem to be welcome here...
These people want to talk about everything _except_ the LEGO model I posted
> I entered the online LEGO community in late 1996, when there was only RTL
> (and a dying ATL) for mainstream discussion. The LEGO community was not very
> big compared to today, and there were few resources available. Also, since
> discussion centered around Usenet newsgroups, the active members were more
> experienced computer/internet users - often programmers by trade or college
> students.
>
> Since then, we've seen an apparent change in the demographic of the fan
> community. More people online and involved today are general computer users,
> and perhaps barely computer literate. They come from a wide variety of
> backgrounds and with that have different attitudes and outlooks towards the
> LEGO community.
Maybe...but I think a fair amount of technological finesse is still required to
understand these discussion boards and actively use them. For
instance...understanding how to crosspost, setting up your browser and programs
to view .dat/.ldr files, etc. This community, while promoting face-to-face
meetings, is still very much an _internet_ community. And I think it is
topheavy with people in the computer field. (I also assume that there are a
lot of people interested in LEGO that are very technologically challenged...and
they're examples of people being excluded from this community.)
>
> Through local clubs and community events worldwide, we know that many LEGO
> fans are not connected to the internet, or choose not to participate in
> online discussion. There are also people who aren't a part of the
> "mainstream" LEGO hobby - they embrace "controversial" [1] themes such as
> Bionicle, or participate in LEGO organizations not directly connected to the
> online community such as First LEGO League.
And there are people like Gary Istok who collected for years outside of the
community, became a very valued part of the community briefly, and has since
disappeared again. Why wasn't the online community satisfying for people like
that for the long-term? And where is Gary, btw?? What about Robert Carney?
>
> There are people who participate for different reasons. Some participate
> purely for light fun, others for the artistic qualities of the brick, and
> yet others who put serious time into building community resources to enhance
> the LEGO experience.
>
> As I'm trying to determine what the LEGO community means to me, I'd like to
> hear what it means to you.
It means a great deal to me. I believe in it as a community. I think it has a
chance to draw more people in, and in the process, redefine itself. Is LUGNET
a major part of that? I think so...this site is where I come to hear LEGO
discussions. Are there other sites? Yes. Was r.t.l supplanted by this site?
Yes. Will another site come along that makes LUGNET obsolete? Probably.
Is the future of the LEGO community more in face-to-face contact or virtual
contact? Both...but I think online contact will be dominant for the
foreseeable future. Although I do hope local groups and small face-to-face
communities grow (as I think they will).
>
> I've encountered very conservative and very liberal attitudes towards what
> "the LEGO community" is. I think some feel it is (or should be) limited to
> LUGNET, others limited to active online participants. Where on the other end
> of the spectrum, some openly and enthusiastically include Bionicle builders
> and First LEGO League kids, artists who use LEGO as a medium but don't
> communicate with LEGO fans online, and more. I've also experienced different
> attitudes towards how the LEGO Company fits in (or doesn't fit in) as a
> participant in the LEGO community.
>
> I see everything in the world of LEGO as having its purpose. Though I lvoe
> LUGNET, I don't see it as the end-all, be-all of LEGO sites. I think there's
> plenty of room for places like From Bricks to Bothans and BZPower, even
> though they cater to a different demographic than LUGNET does. I also firmly
> believe in the in-person community; local clubs, groups like First LEGO
> League, and people who follow LEGO news and attend public shows like those
> at BricksWest, Northwest BrickCon, LEGOWORLD, LEGO Train shows, and more.
>
> I'm for evangelizing the LEGO hobby. I want to see more people discover this
> amazing hobby and the resources that are available to them. I want to see
> those people grow in their building skills and build friendships with
> like-minded blockheads. I like open LEGO events, that encourage the public,
> or at least members of the public interested in the hobby for themselves, to
> attend. At the same time, I like to get together with my LEGO friends from
> all over the country (and even world) and talk shop with few outside
> interruptions.
Well, while more members are going to come and some will drop out...to make the
hobby more mainstream, it is going to have to be accessible by means other than
online communications. I think LUGNET, and the online LEGO community in
general, is near its saturation point. I think only so many people will want to
share a hobby through discussion groups and online picture hosting.
>
> So, where do you think LEGO interests which aren't necessarily "mainstream"
> accepted values fit in? What makes someone someone a "member" of the LEGO
> community? If someone actively participates in a league such as FLL, but
> doesn't post on LUGNET, are they "in?"
>
> I know there are no concrete answers to the questions I am asking. I am
> simply wondering what others think. Maybe these thoughts can open peoples'
> eyes to what else is out there, beyond our corner of the LEGO world. And I
> hope the ideas will help me continue to form my opinions and attitudes
> towards the LEGO hobby as a whole.
>
> Thanks for reading - and I'd love to hear your thoughts!
>
> -Tim
>
> [1] In the sense that it was quickly shunned by adult fans online when
> released, and to this day is not yet widely accepted as a legitimate
> building medium by the same.
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