Discursive Communities Took on a New Form with the Advent of the Internet. Much the Same

Satterfield 1

Discursive communities took on a new form with the advent of the internet. Much the same way as television, the internet became part of the public sphere once it was being used on a large scale. Since the internet is a medium for communication, it opened the door for new ways of coming together for discussion. People began signing in and participating in these new online discursive communities. These communities appeared as online forums, blogs, or video sites like You Tube. One of these sites is called INTP Central. Generally, online forums have a theme. For example, one could be centered upon a particular car or truck, and INTP Central is no different. It is based upon a particular personality type known as “INTP.” Since forums such as this are “public”, it provides an interesting case for discussion of the ideas of Jurgen Habermas.

The letters INTP stand for Introverted, iNtuitive, Thinking, and Perceptive. Introverted often has the connotation of being “antisocial” or reclusive, but that is not necessarily the case. It just means the person is focused inwardly, and not outwardly like the opposite trait of extraversion. Introverts often enjoy socializing and going out with friends, but they also have a need for alone time so that they can pause and collect their thoughts.[1] The “N”, refers to how people with this type think. They are abstract and creative thinkers who see possibilities and are generally more interested in what the future holds instead the present moment.[2] The “T” describes how they make their decisions. Unlike the opposite of “F”, which relies upon feelings (for which the letter stands), T’s base their decision upon logic and reason.[3] Lastly, the “P” means that the person is relaxed and easy going. They tend to be disorganized and adaptable people.[4]

The purpose of the forum is a place for people who have this personality type to come together and discuss common interests. Although I do not have this particular personality, I have been on other forums built around my personality and it is certainly enjoyable to go talk with people who are like me in many different ways. People with similar personalities to my own are more likely to understand and be able to relate to the things that I say than people of other types.

As for INTP Central, the forum is divided up into several different categories. For example, one page is called “Academics and Careers.” Topics posted on that page are directly related to education and jobs. There are topics ranging from the military, to online universities, to Danish folk high schools. Others include “Technology, Computers, and Gadgets” forum, “Science and Health”, “Arts and Entertainment”, and many more. The most popular page is one called “The Local Pub.” Basically, about anything goes there. If one of the forum members has something that he or she wishes to discuss, but it does not quite fit the description for one of the other pages, then he or she can just post it there. Discussions there range from such things as the Freemasons to pet peeves.[5]

While the atmosphere is fairly relaxed and members have a certain degree of freedom, the site does have some rules regarding what their members can and cannot post. First of all, the site administrators do not want any personal attacks on other members. They refer to it as “flaming,” “trolling,” or “causing unrest.” They wish to maintain a fairly peaceful atmosphere of discussions, debates, and arguments and not playground shouting matches. Secondly, there is no posting of pornographic content. That means that no one should post any pornographic videos, pictures, or links to pornography. Thirdly, private messages sent between individual members are not to be posted in the open forum without the permission of the sender. Fourthly, advertising should be done elsewhere. Lastly, members cannot edit or delete posts en masse. However, this is only a brief summary of the rules. While there are others, this covers the general idea for how the administrators expect the members to conduct themselves. [6]

As long as a member or members agree to abide by the rules, anyone and everyone can participate in the forum. Although the majority of members have the personality type of INTP, members do not have to share this type or even know what type they possess. Nevertheless, some pages on the forum are devoted completely to discussing the various issues related to having this type, and personality typology in general. If someone is of a type drastically different from INTP or does not care about taking a test to discover their own personality type may be, they may very well feel a certain disconnect from the forum and the other members.6

Since this is an online forum, it falls within the realm of the public sphere. But how does such a discursive community fit within the ideas of Habermas? According to his book The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere, he says, “The bourgeois public sphere may be conceived above all as the sphere of private people come together as a public.”[7] One can easily say the same thing about this forum. The members are indeed private people who are coming together as a public, just an online public. The bourgeois sphere that Habermas speaks of was a group of aristocrats or nobles who congregated in public places, such the French salons, to discuss matters of art, literature, and politics. In this online forum, the members perform much of the same activities. There is a page devoted for the members to post their creative expressions, whether it is poetry, fiction, or art. There is another page, as previously mentioned, meant for discussion of arts and entertainment. Still further, one of the more popular pages on the site is one called “News, Politics, and History.” As the title suggests, one can find many debates, sometimes heated, concerning politics and other controversial ideas. One member is an outspoken communist and frequently posts his ideas concerning socialism and the functioning of economies. Other topics concern such ideas as the existence of God and other controversial issues.[8]

While INTP Central may not be a widely known forum, it has a large and healthy membership that frequently posts new responses and topics. Although it may be centered and based upon the ideas surrounding the personality type of INTP, much of the discussion on this forum concerns ideas relatively unrelated to the forum’s theme. In this regard, it arguably fits the hypothesis put forth by the German scholar Jurgen Habermas. Many if not most of the posts are intellectual in nature and, from my observations, there is little “name calling.” The members are thoughtful and much of the posting consists of intelligent and well thought out responses.

Notes

[1]“Extraverted or Introverted Preference” (2007-2010). Available from: My Personality.info < > (accessed 17 February 2010)

[2]“Extraverted or Introverted Preference”.

[3]“Extraverted or Introverted Preference”.

[4]“Extraverted or Introverted Preference”.

[5]“Welcome to INTP Central” (2000 to 2010). Available from: INTP Central. <

[6]“INTP Central General Rules of Conduct” (2000 to 2010). Available from: INTP Central <

[7]Jurgen Habermas, The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1989), 27.

[8]Habermas, 27-56