Clay Shirky writes about the internet (Economics & Culture, Media & Community, Open Source)

http://shirky.com/writings/group_enemy.html

I just read the article above titled "a group is its own worst enemy" about what Shirky believes is unavoidable about groups (like yahoo groups or usenet groups)

Very interesting stuff. Stuff that I kind of knew on a certain level (like its good to have the old timers around on MIJ- the group I participate in the most) to answer newbie questions about living in Japan) but never articulated to myself.

As a TESOL person, it's interesting because when you want to set up a social network online for teaching purposes, the nature of the software and the nature of the rules you make up for posting really does have an effect on students' learning.

Anyway, I like that fact that Shirky makes it clear that identities acquire reputation and that we are not as free to change identities and genders or whatnot as we think we are.