Lurking - so what?

• Hi there lurkers! by John Suler, 7/26/97
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    • re: under-expressive people by Wanda Hill, 3/20/98
      
      

Well, this thread sure de-lurked me! I have been reading regularly the BOL Gestalt Therapy forum, and more recently discovered this forum, and the one on meditation in psychotherapy. I am a trainee in gestalt-therapy and a teacher in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Am I a chronic lurker? No, I don't think so. My pattern however has been to lurk for a while, then eventually to jump in and participate. In real life I can retroflect (a gestalt term, sorry) with the best of them. And at the same time I can throw myself in and 'perform'...or even occasionally dialogue!!!

Retroflecting, in this case silent reading and thinking turned inward, and producing a written posting for the world to see, are I suspect two sides of the same coin. I notice the previous postings tease out aspects of the written word (one can read before sending, to make sure that it is error-free, up to standard,... perfect?) and oratory skills, requiring "forethought".

It seems to me that a forum could marry the thoughtfulness of written exchanges and the spontaneity of oral ones, of ordinary conversation.

Lurking: should the activity (or process?) be renamed with a less judgemental word?

Thanks to all for a great forum, and hello to the quiet ones!

JG

• thoughtfulness and spontaneity by John, 4/9/98