Moved from dupe topic:
Topic 77 of 185: This little matter of our addiction...
Fri, Dec 6, 1996 (20:37) | Cecily C. (panache)
true confessions of why each of us comes here, is so hooked on P&P, etc.
11 new of 11 responses total.
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 1 of 11: Wendy (summit) * Sat, Dec 7, 1996 (08:27) * 3 lines
I am curious about this site. Why is the word addiction used and promoted?
Is it like "I've got a problem but I'm proud of it?" Is it just for laughs?
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 2 of 11: Amy Bellinger (Amy) * Sat, Dec 7, 1996 (08:51) * 8 lines
] I am curious about this site. Why is the word addiction used and promoted?
Is it like "I've got a problem but I'm proud of it?" Is it just for laughs?
__
It is hard to explain, Wendy. In fact, we usually don't. Explain it, that is. You get it or your don't. Hang around a while and see if anything resonates. If not you won't like it at all here. If it does, let yourself become swept up in it.
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 3 of 11: Cecily (panache) * Sat, Dec 7, 1996 (09:33) * 9 lines
You'd have to ask our host Amy about the word choice originally, but as she said in the introduction to this austen site, it's the extreme liking for the A&E production of Pride & Prejudice that is the basis here.
That said, maybe I should get back to my reason for this topic 77 (ignore 76, please). Something Candace wrote in her New P&P scene on an earlier thread made me blink- and think. And, as a matter of fact, right after I input this topic last night, my husband and I had a serious talk about all this; he pointed out his sincere concern over this being an addiction, and one that is being promoted as such; he pointed out the irritable behavior when
spring.com was shut down this week, etc. I naturally point
d out his own, more generalized use of the computer (he is not hooked on 1 site) daily; however, I had to agree that one needed to keep a grip on how much of one's time was "devoted" to this versus family, job, other more realworld concerns and prioritize accordingly. Same sort of problem with a child who wants to watch TV incessantly.
But, I thought, why am I (and others) here constantly? I believe Austen, P&P2, and CF are part of a bigger reason for each of us. Please, reader, realize I am not putting down this phenomenon at all, just attempting to analyze it (so put on your "support group" cap while reading this). My own true confession reasons for visiting here are: 1) I did/do enjoy P&P2 very much, though I do not see it repeatedly that regularly; 2) I admire Austen novels; 3) I am exploring ways to see other CF work sin
e I like his acting and looks (Darcy so far, anyway); 4) I enjoy writing; 5) maybe most importantly, other than my siblings, whom I rarely see nowadays, few other people at my job or home share this interesting conversational ability everyone here shares. The insights, the humor, the friendliness still amaze me that are happening here via mdem and keyboards around the world. So, I explained to my husband, it's the always-available camraderie, in print, that I think is why I return; like a letter or call
or visit, it's nice to come home to. Maybe the word addiction does have neurotic connotations (like we all were/are major drug users too, nymphos, alcoholics, etc.); maybe support group sounds less awful. I tend to use both ironically myself here, considering how staid a life I lead otherwise. After all, look at the jobs many of us hold: programmer, teacher, librarian, preacher, fulltime parent, student-- can't be that irresponsible a group, right, so I think we deserve the bit of fun we create here.
Where's my suffragette costume?) Sorry for the long post, but we're in the philosophical cycle of Sagittarius.
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 4 of 11: kathleen (elder) * Sat, Dec 7, 1996 (09:41) * 4 lines
Cecily -- well said. I must confess that the addiction connotation does not bother me too much as I have had other obsessions/compulsions (and expect to have more in the future).
That said, I noticed that I managed w/o the computer connections over Thanksgiving (was out of town and out of touch). Then, as an experiment, I stayed away from the computer for a few days after the holiday -- I was not even aware of the conference being down! Now I know that I can ration my time, but still enjoy all the conversation! I do not intend to give up all the fun.
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 5 of 11: Kathleen Grant (Kaffeine) * Sat, Dec 7, 1996 (12:49) * 3 lines
I don't mind the term "addiction" because it doesn't really have negative connotations for me. Neither I, nor anyone close to me, has had any problems with drugs or alcohol, etc. So for me, to say that I am addicted to this board is the dramatic equivalent of saying that I am exceedingly fond of the P&P2 board. I can see, though, how it might have more negative associations for those who have battled, or been close to someone who has battled, with real addictions.
As to why I am...exceedingly fond...of this place - the good company, of course! In my non-cyber life, I seem to have surrounded myself with people for whom literature is of little importance. They are each wonderful in their own way, but the people here fit into a different niche. I am lucky in the sense that I don't need to force myself to limit my time online - my career is based on the internet, and the more time I spend online, the more I learn!
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 6 of 11: Katy Kendall (kendall) * Sat, Dec 7, 1996 (13:45) * 9 lines
Addiction and pride: Tis not the addiction of which I am proud - it is the group of people with whom it has brought me into contact! Until the I'net brought me into contact with other people who loved JA as I do, I was alone with my addiction to JA. It was never a source of pride. The pride I feel about this site and this group is not pride in the addiction but the pride in the quality and joy I am discovering in my fellow addicts. If these brilliant, kind hearted folks can live full, useful lives in
spite of their addiction, maybe it is not so bad, after all.
I have read and re-read Jane Austen novels for decades. My collection of books by and about JA has outgrown its bookcase. I could easily keep a copy of every novel in every room of the house and have spares. Since I have committed every novel to memory, I 'have an Austen line' and probably an Austen joke for every occassion. Nobody I know understands any of those lines or jokes. Nobody I know admits to haunting used book stores looking for multiple editions of a single author's works.
One of the happiest days of my "Austen/Internet" experience was the first time I saw the line: "I do not have a copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ handy..." the writer of that line did not say 'my copy' or 'either of my copies', she said 'a copy'. That meant she had more than one - probably several. Later, I heard people talk about their 'favorite edition' of a particular novel and knew I was home.
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 7 of 11: Katy Kendall (kendall) * Sat, Dec 7, 1996 (13:50) * 9 lines
Addiction and pride: Tis not the addiction of which I am proud - it is the group of people with whom it has brought me into contact! Until the I'net brought me into contact with other people who loved JA as I do, I was alone with my addiction to JA. It was never a source of pride. The pride I feel about this site and this group is not pride in the addiction but the pride in the quality and joy I am discovering in my fellow addicts. If these brilliant, kind hearted folks can live full, useful lives in
spite of their addiction, maybe it is not so bad, after all.
I have read and re-read Jane Austen novels for decades. My collection of books by and about JA has outgrown its bookcase. I could easily keep a copy of every novel in every room of the house and have spares. Since I have committed every novel to memory, I 'have an Austen line' and probably an Austen joke for every occassion. Nobody I know understands any of those lines or jokes. Nobody I know admits to haunting used book stores looking for multiple editions of a single author's works.
One of the happiest days of my "Austen/Internet" experience was the first time I saw the line: "I do not have a copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ handy..." the writer of that line did not say 'my copy' or 'either of my copies', she said 'a copy'. That meant she had more than one - probably several. Later, I heard people talk about their 'favorite edition' of a particular novel and knew I was home.
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 8 of 11: Wendy (summit) * Sat, Dec 7, 1996 (19:46) * 1 lines
You all sound like very thoughtful, nice people. I too like Austen, which is why I'm looking into this conference. Keep up the good work!
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 9 of 11: Joan, too (jwinsor) * Sun, Dec 8, 1996 (00:21) * 3 lines
Well, rather than take up bandwidth repeating many of the excellent sentiments already stated above, I'd like to observe that addiction is not necessarily a negative thing, and refer those who might be interested to a book the title of which is "Positive Addiction" by William Glasser M.D. (Also author of Reality Therapy, Schools Without Failure and The Identity Society.)
Joan, too
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 10 of 11: Caroline Evans (Carolineevans) * Sun, Dec 8, 1996 (09:56) * 3 lines
Kaffeine,Katy, you said it!I have spent the last twenty years hugging my love of JA to myself, unable to talk to anyone except my mother, via very expensive international telephone calls, about it. Until we got internet, I felt I was an island in a sea of male-dominated,violence orientated
pseudo-babble.No-one I ever met understood my passion for her work, my silly Austen jokes or my constancy to empire-line dresses!Please do not get me wrong, My life is a happy one, but I felt alone at times. The P&P2 se
ies woke up my friends and neighbours to the fact that JA is neither "Harlequin" nor dusty history.
This bulletein Board allows me to indulge in my other favourite hobby of picking apart movies in the company of like-minded people, as well. Their friendship is precious to me. It also gives me a real incentive to get computer -literate, and yes,gives me a break from everyday worries. Does this make any sense?
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Topic 77 of 185 [austen]: This little matter of our addiction...
Response 11 of 11: Johanne Dagenais (JohanneD) * Sun, Dec 8, 1996 (11:46) * 1 lines
Hear, hear, copy Caroline