Ethnography!

[Scott Alexander]

I recently learned that Shireroth has been observed by anthropologists...I feel like I'm a member of some primitive tribe doing the Skull Dance or something. But no, it's just Jadie's friend Jenn, who wrote a paper on us for her class. She gave me permission to post it here in case anyone was interested; since it's just a school project, she probably doesn't care enough about it to make it worth actually pointing out the mistakes, so no need to worry about them:Something Micro national This Way ComesIntroduction&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Micro nations, basically, is a huge community that meets online to enjoy a fantasy world that someone has thought up from the recesses of their mind. Based in forums, the members of a micro nation will enjoy being part of a make-believe government and enjoy friendships around the world. Micro nations are not centered in one area – many people all over the world can reach these types of communities. I found out micro nations through one of my friends, Jessica Doran, and have decided to enter into the world of Micro nations. Myths to Remove&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp When I was first introduced to micro nations, I immediately thought: a nerd’s paradise where no one had a life. Another myth that I immediately thought in my head was that these forums must all be the same: fantasy world filled with certain types of characters and that is it. But I was shown through Jessica through an interview that micro nations are filled with many diverse people and diverse areas. That, although people are seen as dorks, they are intelligent and imaginative people that strive to de-stress in a fake world filled with magic and fantasies. Gaining Entrance&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp It is not hard to enter into a Micro nation. You simply sign up at ezboard.com and find micro national forums that best suit your wants and needs. Many people are easily accepted into the circle and are not easily kicked out unless they offend over half of the make-believe nation that they are in. So, it was not hard to observe a hard entrance into a micro nation. Jessica always tried to get me into her own micro nation, Shireoth. Many couples always try to get their other half to join, and their friends as well. These nations are not hard to get into at all. Basic Process of a Micro nation&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The basic concept of a micro nation is that it is a forum made up of a stimulated government with many roles for the forum members. There are many kinds of micro nations: feudal/medieval, Lord of the Rings, Communist, religious, and many others that can not be named. Another example is a micro nation surrounding Monty Python. Anybody could represent a fake nation on the internet to take out their imagination. Micro nations have evolved in some way as well because it used to only be a stimulated government; now it is a way to de-stress from the world. The general number of micro nationalists reaches from around 100 to more. It has not been counted, but it seen to be a lot. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The age bracket for micro nations is around 15 to around 30’s. Jessica states that there could possibly be a fifty-year old person in a micro nation, but she is not sure. She emphasizes that the basic ages are from 15 to around 30’s or 40’s. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp A basic day for a Micro nationalist is that from morning to late at night, they look at the forums, post what need to be said, and respond to other’s posts. Many are posts about certain laws that the leader wants passed. Other posts are fun posts that either wish people holiday wishes, or jokes. A day is not truly planned out though, and so a Micro nationalist day can not be predicted. Gatherings &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Most contact is through the internet. Either through AOL Instant Messaging or forum postings, most members do not see each other. Jessica states that there are some micro nations that have conventions, but it is not common. Jessica’s micro nation, Shireoth, are mostly centered on the University so they gather together most of the time. Part of that nation is also in the East Coast, and the University group are getting together to try to bring that part of the group to the West Coast. It is still not final, but it is still an attempt for human contact. When they do gather, it is observed that they are not usually serious and always talking about the micro nation: they usually enjoy talking about other hobbies, likes, and basically enjoy their friendships together. Language? Rituals? Relationships?&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Although Micro nations are international, the most used languages in these types of communities are either English or French, as Jessica states. There are some micro nations that have made-up language. There is one micro nation that was later integrated into Shireoth, which had a language called Hyperboarean. It was made for the micro nation Hyperborea, and although it did not receive much activity it still resides in the internet world. It is now a branch or subgroup of Shireoth. Another language that is a minority is Elvish, from the Lord of the Rings micronation. Jessica jokes that one of their Irish members is trying to teach them Gaelic. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The basic ritual of a micro nationalist is to post in the forums, talk about it among their friends on either AIM or in real life, and then start imagining everything that they can. There is no basic plot of ritual: most micro nationalists are ready for a change in the process. Holidays that they celebrate are usually American, made-up holidays (like Switching day, where they pretend to be other members in the nation), and any other international holiday. As Jessica joked, “One of the Irish members joked that [when we were celebrating Thanksgiving] we were celebrating gluttony!”&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The relationships between the members are usually strong. Jessica states that most of the members that she posts together are considered, to her, to be her closest friends. Dating wise, it is not common to find many couples that have met through the nation. Most couples in the nation are usually couples that have met in real life, and have brought the other half into the group. “It is usually a fluke,” says Jessica when I asked her about it. I had assumed that most couples that I have heard about have met through the nations. She proves me wrong by saying, “It is a fluke because most of the members in Micro nations are men. There are about 6 women among 20 men…that’s a fluke. Usually there is one female out of the male members.” &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp It is most common to see a heterosexual, “computer nerd”, male in these nations. Jessica states that they are mostly very intelligent, and mostly in either engineering or college students. “Some are in the armed forces…We’re all dorks…that’s basically why we can talk to each other.” She furthers states that the main vein about micro nations is to enact fantasies – that is all. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Religions can be seen being made up. There is one Micro nationalist that has made up a religion called Soloralism. Jessica states that the Micro nationalist believes so strongly in this religion that he lives it out in real life. Religions like Christianity, Buddhism, Jewish, and others are also seen in the Micro nations. Putting it All Together in America and the World &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp I asked Jessica if she would be in Micro nations until she was 30. She said, emphatically, “No!” She goes on to say that this is a type of experience where she can enjoy being a “goofball”, and just have fun. She also says sometime during the interview that it is a way to de-stress. Jessica says that she will probably get out of it after college. There are other Micro nationalists out there that would probably continue until there are no more people involved – one example is her friend Erik. She says that he has put so much effort in Shireoth, that he does not want to see it die. She predicts that he will probably stay until the very end. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp I also asked Jessica if she could connect Micro national actions with American wants and needs. What it represents in America. She first jokingly says, “It shows that we have too much time in our hand and a really wild imagination!” She then goes on to state that it shows a discontent in our American government, and since it is international, the world’s government. She states a disclaimer that it is usually not serious, but if it does become serious people get concerned. She gives an example that one of their Irish members calls the American members, “Capitalist pigs.” She basically states that it is some want of a better American or International government. Conclusion&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp In a way, I agree with Jessica. The way Micro nations work, it seems that these forums are there to either vent about the member’s complaints, or to express an artful imagination that these members usually can not in the outside world. It is a way to escape the usual stressors of life, and become a whole new character in a whole different world. In our reality where we must now control our opinions or be persecuted for possible espionage or terrorism, Micro nations gives these people an opportunity to state what they want in their worlds. They have the control or the capacity to change the world that they interact in. In some way, these people can vent their frustrations of not being heard by the fact that their peer members listen to them. In this way, Micro nations can be connected to the fact that our youth do want to be heard among the masses of deaf adults. There is a campaign to get many youths to vote in elections – maybe these youths do not vote because of the fact that in the end they are not heard. Micro nations could be evidence to that. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp "Scott, you're so evil you should be Babkhan!" - Tahmaseb Shah"In order to find his equal, a Shirerithian is forced to talk to God" = With apologies to Steven Braveheart

[Scott Alexander]

And here's her description of the reception her paper got:Today I presented my ethnography to my English 201 class. I did pretty good. I spoke pretty clearly (most people thought so), and I remembered everything that I wanted to bring up. Until we had Q&A. See, we were set up in panels. I was in the Virtual Worlds panel. I had someone who did Lan Parties to my right. The person to my left did webcomics forum. Well, when people got to bring up comments, questions, etc they decided to just question ME. Why? Because I did an ethnography on Micronations. Somehow most of these judgemental pricks could not get the concept that there are people out there that pretend to be rules of a made-up world on the internet. That it all consists of are forums and posts. It doesn't mean they really want to take over the world. It doesn't mean that they truly hate America. Sure, most of them are termed "computer geeks", but that doesn't mean you have to be ignorant, judgemental idiots! *growls* I had to field over 50,000 questions trying to get their judgemental ideas out of their heads. In the end, I slowly let out my temper and said, "Think of it as a way to de-stress. My friend Jessic de-stressed by role-playing in Micronations. We all have different ways of relaxing! I de-stress by crocheting! We are all not the same!" The person that kept asking these questions (she was those valley girls that has blonde hair...bad stereo-typical girl!) shut up and the teacher finally got up from her seat and said, "Let's clap for these people." The people next to me and I were simmering in our seats - we just could not understand how judgemental these people were! They thought they had no lives! They do! They have lives outside computers, games, and the internet! They are real people with real friends! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. Bad judgemental pricks. No cookie for you, unless it's cyanide-laced.

[Emir of Raspur]

Affirming Rule One. Never go public with your online hobbies. Don't tell family or friends... pretend to surf porn if anyone asks questions.Judgemental? De-stress? Californians need to be more cynical. Apparently a friend of Rakesh's, or his lecturer I forget, has also been using Babkha as a glass bowl. The man's prediction? Quote:"The magnetism of Babkha would eventually attrack enough leftists that the abolishment of the monarchy could be forseeable. He says that however the most likely future is the maintanence of the status-quo where the unique and exotic culture is maintained as it is the only thing that truly differentiates this from everything else."

[Gryphon Avocatio]

Oh geez...we've been studied! We must be freaks! Cool!!! -Gryphon Avocatio- Lord Governor and Duke of all Yardistan - Minister of Research and Education, Shireroth - Shirerothian Elder - SAVE THE KIWI!! - Lover of Llamas "You're intense and driven. That can lead to a lot of good things. It can also lead to high blood pressure and a closing of the arteries." -Mr. Mathews -- "I think that people who drive Hummers are clueless, and that they just have enough money to advertise it." -Peter Camejo -- "Skanky-Deutch-Ho-Bag!!" -Mike

[Gman Russell]

Er... I... uh... i'm unsure how to feel... on one hand I feel violated, on the other hand I feel special... on the other hand... I feel violated...er... I suppose i'm not offended ... but I dont like to be analized...

[Gryphon Avocatio]

I find it amusing that we have been the topic of scrutiny. -Gryphon Avocatio- Lord Governor and Duke of all Yardistan - Minister of Research and Education, Shireroth - Shirerothian Elder - SAVE THE KIWI!! - Lover of Llamas "You're intense and driven. That can lead to a lot of good things. It can also lead to high blood pressure and a closing of the arteries." -Mr. Mathews -- "I think that people who drive Hummers are clueless, and that they just have enough money to advertise it." -Peter Camejo -- "Skanky-Deutch-Ho-Bag!!" -Mike

[Jadie of Goldshire]

*shrugs*I don't try and hide the fact that I participate in Micronations or in Vampire the Masquerade either (my other suitemate wrote about that)....They are my hobbies and I see no reason to hide them...*shrugs* Jadie of GoldshireCarry on with your lives people...nothing to see here.

[david northworthy beckfor]

pity that only one side of micronations was mentioned....still..... war trophy liberated from Babkha by the Federated NORworthic Liberation Devision (FNORD)

[Gman Russell]

Another friend analyzed you and your participation in VtM??!?!What kind of friends do you have!!! *laughs*

[Zirandorthel]

Quote:Jessica jokes that one of their Irish members is trying to teach them Gaelic. “One of the Irish members joked that [when we were celebrating Thanksgiving] we were celebrating gluttony!”She gives an example that one of their Irish members calls the American members, “Capitalist pigs.”Jaysus, us three guys get up to all kinds of mischief, don't we... Sun Bless, Earth KeepZirandorthel I of TreesiaThe Golden DarknessNiirus TinenetuwarLet the fates burn!

[Jadie of Goldshire]

I have friends who didn't understand my hobbies. Those are the kind of friends I have. They were curious. *shrugs*And Eoin...you know you said those things...*laughs*So no trying to push it on anyone else.And David..I only had my point of view...which alas is only one side of micronations...I'm sorry if I didn't fully represent micronations as a whole. Jadie of GoldshireCarry on with your lives people...nothing to see here.

[For Her Light]

This is why I only share my history in this stuff with people I love, cherish, and trust

[For Her Light]

And just for the record, I was never a computer nerd. I suck way too much at technology to deserve that label

[Gman Russell]

We all do... with the exception of Joseph, who can run lightyears around us Jadie: Well, as long as they don't think your a geek

[david northworthy beckfor]

you mean, she only interviewd you? not did any other research?thats....wrongin my school, we had to go to germany as part of our course, not just chat to one person...admitadly the place we went to was full of people who did not speak german anyway, but that aint the point. war trophy liberated from Babkha by the Federated NORworthic Liberation Devision (FNORD)

[Gryphon Avocatio]

You went to germany to speak to people that don't speak german? Please tell me it was a paper on foreign travel. -Gryphon Avocatio- Lord Governor and Duke of all Yardistan - Minister of Research and Education, Shireroth - Shirerothian Elder - SAVE THE KIWI!! - Lover of Llamas "You're intense and driven. That can lead to a lot of good things. It can also lead to high blood pressure and a closing of the arteries." -Mr. Mathews -- "I think that people who drive Hummers are clueless, and that they just have enough money to advertise it." -Peter Camejo -- "Skanky-Deutch-Ho-Bag!!" -Mike

[david northworthy beckfor]

well...the idea was that we were to get acrainted(sp?) with the language as people speak it nativly....in 72 hours, where all but 5 hours were spent on the bus or the hotel.....the place names were in german, but the people did not sound liek they were speaking german, though they did not speak much....when we wandered about this small city that we were in, and spoke to people, like in a shop or summat, they could not understand us....then again, it could have just been that we could not german...though we had been learning it for 3 years.. war trophy liberated from Babkha by the Federated NORworthic Liberation Devision (FNORD)

[Gryphon Avocatio]

I speant some time with people from germany when I was in Europe. German doesn't sound a thing like i would have though german would sound like. -Gryphon Avocatio- Lord Governor and Duke of all Yardistan - Minister of Research and Education, Shireroth - Shirerothian Elder - SAVE THE KIWI!! - Lover of Llamas "You're intense and driven. That can lead to a lot of good things. It can also lead to high blood pressure and a closing of the arteries." -Mr. Mathews -- "I think that people who drive Hummers are clueless, and that they just have enough money to advertise it." -Peter Camejo -- "Skanky-Deutch-Ho-Bag!!" -Mike

[Mattlore Devious]

mmm.........violation

[Kaiser Mors III]

I wish I had been interviewed.. maybe someday I will be... I've got 4 years Micronational tenure... and have seen it all... and have been in or around shit loads of micronations.. or Scott.. he works too... Mortis BrookshireKaiser of Shireroth

[Gryphon Avocatio]

yeah...there were a few inaccuracies in the paper...nothing to bad, and it was honestly interesting to hear something about us that didn't instantly dub us as freaks. -Gryphon Avocatio- Lord Governor and Duke of all Yardistan - Minister of Research and Education, Shireroth - Shirerothian Elder - SAVE THE KIWI!! - Lover of Llamas "You're intense and driven. That can lead to a lot of good things. It can also lead to high blood pressure and a closing of the arteries." -Mr. Mathews -- "I think that people who drive Hummers are clueless, and that they just have enough money to advertise it." -Peter Camejo -- "Skanky-Deutch-Ho-Bag!!" -Mike

[Jadie of Goldshire]

She was pressed for time or she probably would have interviewed you Erik Jadie of GoldshireCarry on with your lives people...nothing to see here.

[Phoenix the Risen]

Quote:I suck way too much at technology to deserve that labelQuote:We all do... with the exception of Joseph, who can run lightyears around usI'll take that as a compliment, but no. I actually suck terribly at technology. It's just that I have logic permanently ingrained into my head, so I can code quite easily. I read those long posts that Erik and Ari have about their computers and OS's, and I'm just like... dude... and then my head explodes. I know nothing of technology... sorry, gman... Phoenix the Risen - Dutchess of Kildare - Political Nuisance but at least She gets the job done. - Official Genkher of Gryphon Avocatio's Cool Short Sig and Gryphon the Pure's Awesome Tables! - COME BACK, STEVE!!! -"To quote a former Kaiser.... 'Shireroth doesn't give up land....'" ~UEC (Quoting Kaiser Letifer I), In response to claims on the Raynor Isles"To paraphrase a former Kaiser: 'Here! Take Amity for free! And that other half of Mar Sara too!'" ~SaiKar LumEth, (Paraphrasing Kaiser Mog I) In response to UEC"To paraphrase a former angry mob "DOWN WITH THE EVIL LAND-GIVING AWAY KAISER! REVOLT! REBELLION! CIVIL WAR!" ~Scott Siskind, (paraphrasing the Letifer Rebellion group) In response to SaiKar LumEth"I HEARBY QUESTION THE KAISERESS AUTHORITY!" ~Gryphon Avocado (Switching Day)

[Gman Russell]

You sure about that? I've seen your coding, it's quite ingenious...

[Ari Rahikkala]

It's funny... I do know a bit about technology but I'm a horrible programmer. I guess it's a lack of patience or something. Joseph, you and I would make a nice team: You do coding, I ensure correctness and integration . I got it! The Necronomicon must obviously be a Mornington Crescent rulebook!

[Kaiser Mors III]

I'm good with hardware... (and hard on it...). and I can script.. well.. in NWN.. but the concepts are the same... just different functions... I could use what I learned in Perl.. and I took Logic.. which helped me Script..and Proly got an A... not sure... havne't gotten my test score yet.. since it decides my grade.. Mortis BrookshireKaiser of Shireroth

[Gryphon Avocatio]

I...am so far removed from technology now that I don't know what I'm talking about anymore. I do know more than the average joe, but I am by no means good with it...now give a an instrument with strings and frets and an hour alone...that's a different story... -Gryphon Avocatio- Lord Governor and Duke of all Yardistan - Minister of Research and Education, Shireroth - Shirerothian Elder - SAVE THE KIWI!! - Lover of Llamas "You're intense and driven. That can lead to a lot of good things. It can also lead to high blood pressure and a closing of the arteries." -Mr. Mathews -- "I think that people who drive Hummers are clueless, and that they just have enough money to advertise it." -Peter Camejo -- "Skanky-Deutch-Ho-Bag!!" -Mike

[Ruhan Zarathustra Erudinz]

Am I the only person willing to step up to the plate and acknowledge that yes, we are in fact, freaks? "Disce quasi semper victurus; vive quasi cras moriturus"

[Eriana Moon]

*hopping in as A purple kangaroo with blue polka dots*No IÂ’m a freak and proud of it!!!*hops off* Baroness of Lunaris in The Republic of ShirerothBaroness-Councilor of Tallandor-New Barbary in Treesia

[Emperor Jacobus]

I joined my first micronation in 1970. We flew the flag, sang our own anthem at assemblies, gave the Imperial salute, and were general nuisances. Tried to buy an island.Imagine recruiting face to face!Damn near took the place over. Probably never got over it.You whipper-snappers got it easy! (Waives cane in air whilst choking and wheezing.)