Ethical action,
according to Bakhtin, is based on unsystemizable ethical wisdom
rather than abstract rules. Such wisdom is built from
understandings that develop out of previous situations, along
with an awareness of the need to bring these understandings to
bear flexibly and creatively in new situations.
_______________
I conducted a two-year ethnographic and rhetorical study of
identity practices in a virtual reality community of a type
called a "MOO" (MUD, Object Oriented). Before collecting data, I
met with the highest-level system administrator (the
"arch-wizard") face-to-face and explained my research intents and
practices. Once in the site, I spent time in the public rooms,
meeting participants and engaging in casual conversation.
Whenever my conversation with a participant became lengthy or
significant, I indicated that my purpose was to collect data and
write about my findings. In my own LambdaMOO self-descriptions,
there was always a reference to my role as researcher, or the
fact that I was collecting data, or that participants should
freely ask me about my purpose there. In the first six months,
along with general participation, I interviewed twenty-five
participants at length. From this group, I continued to
interview a total of ten for the next year.
Christina Allen What's wrong with the "Golden Rule"?
