4.0696 Infomania, etc. (5/156)
Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Wed, 7 Nov 90 11:31:19 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 0696. Wednesday, 7 Nov 1990.
(1) Date: Mon, 05 Nov 90 10:40:39 GMT (7 lines)
From: stephen clark <AP01@liverpool.ac.uk>
Subject: new word for curiosity
(2) Date: Sun, 04 Nov 90 22:20 PST (6 lines)
From: KESSLER <IME9JFK@UCLAMVS.BITNET>
Subject: Re: 4.0692 Summary: A Word for a Vice
(3) Date: Sun, 04 Nov 90 13:52:39 PST (67 lines)
From: DONWEBB@CALSTATE (Donald Webb)
Subject: Infoosis
(4) Date: Sun, 4 Nov 90 08:00:08 -0500 (66 lines)
From: Patt Haring <patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu>
Subject: Re: 4.0686 Qs: Informania Book; UN Archives
(5) Date: Sat, 3 Nov 90 23:38 EDT (10 lines)
From: Grover Zinn <FZINN@OBERLIN.BITNET>
Subject: Re: 4.0692 Summary: A Word for a Vice
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 05 Nov 90 10:40:39 GMT
From: stephen clark <AP01@liverpool.ac.uk>
Subject: new word for curiosity
There may be a word in James Hillman's work, who has some harsh things to
say about prurient (broadly so-called) curiosity. So does Augustine.
Stephen
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------186---
Date: Sun, 04 Nov 90 22:20 PST
From: KESSLER <IME9JFK@UCLAMVS.BITNET>
Subject: Re: 4.0692 Summary: A Word for a Vice
HOW ABOUT A COLLOQUIAL AMERICANISM, SUCH AS "INFOFREAK"? KESSLER
(3) --------------------------------------------------------------72----
Date: Sun, 04 Nov 90 13:52:39 PST
From: DONWEBB@CALSTATE (Donald Webb)
Subject: Infoosis
Thanks to Martti Nyman for the annotated compendium of proposals for the
word Willard wants, the one denoting "a pathological need for
information that is due to "imaginative failure" or "intellectual
cowardice" but not ascribable to soci(et)al amorality."
Some hitherto less-discussed aspects:
First, if the "pathology" is "not ascribable to... amorality," then
clandestine activities, such as intelligence-gathering - in the sense of
espionage or surveillance - are presumably not an issue. Is that right?
Second, an unrecondite coinage may be "pragmatic" but ultimately
impractical if the word is to denote a condition that is itself
recondite. However, I will propose one. Patience, please.
Third, Willard seems to be describing a special case of "pedantry" or,
among more colorful alternatives, "intellectual navel-watching." Now,
"pedantry" appears to be too general and does not necessarily refer to
people who compulsively collect _Humanist_ postings.
As for "information," the preferred word-stems seem to be "info-" and
"data." The mind-set is commonly referred to as a "mania," which does
connote the "pathological need" that Willard specifies.
Between "infomania" and datamania" I prefer the latter for two reasons:
(1) it has internal assonance, though the spelling makes me see double;
(2) the word "infomaniac" will lead to either
(a) a sore throat from overemphasizing the glottal-stop juncture after
the indefinite article or
(b) a clout on the ears (?) from failing to perform (a) in mixed company.
Fourth, our choice of word may imply that we know the etiology of the
condition. A case in point: "infomania" or "datamania" would seem to
allude to a mental state; "infoitis," to a more generalized ailment.
Does "-mania" imply an internal cause and "-itis" an external one?
If so, we might infer from "datamaniac" that the the info-freak (a lapse
in register but another nice alliteration) is the source of the
affliction; from "infoitis," that the person may be the victim of
contagion. "Infoitis," then, seems the least judgmental of the terms
proposed, and that gives it great value.
However, further neologistic problems arise: Who is the victim of
"infoitis"? An "infoitic"? And what are the consequences of
"infoitis"? "Infoosis"? Does an unridiculous spelling exist?
"Info-osis"? "Infoo"sis"? Perhaps "info?osis," for its
metapunctuational connotation, but, looking at the ? as an IPA symbol,
we're back to sore throats again. Mark Riley, where are you?
Finally, I feel that Willard's initial instinct, "info-mange," was
right. A less jargonistic-looking French term might be "gourmand de
donne'es," (the condition: "gourmandise...") but that sounds hardly
more "pathological" than overindulging on leftover Hallowe'en candy.
Following Willard's lead, one might coin a "recondite" word like
"gnosophagy." But I prefer the English compound, a sinister term that
evokes pathology on the order of a Frankenstein or a Mr Hyde - if not
actually dark and stormy nights - as well as the ultimately nihilistic
tragedy implicit in the condition and the one who is subject to it:
"knowledge-eater."
Willard, what prizes are you awarding to the winner(s) in this contest?
(4) --------------------------------------------------------------81----
Date: Sun, 4 Nov 90 08:00:08 -0500
From: Patt Haring <patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu>
Subject: Re: 4.0686 Qs: Informania Book; UN Archives
On Nov 3, 11:23am, Elliot Parker wrote ...
}
} Subject: INFOMANIA (book)
}
} >There is a book around, which lists all conceivable networks and
} >databases. Its title might serve as a possible term to describe
} >what Willard is after: INFOMANIA. Another possible contender,
}
} Could you give a fuller citation? This is obviously of great
} interest for those using the networks.
}
} There was a book called INFOMANIA written in the early years of
} Compuserve by a lady describing her infatuation with the "chat" mode.
} Obviously, not the same.
The "Infomania" book is authored by Elizabeth Ferrarini and I would
think it might have been **the** book to read on networks but that
was ** BEFORE ** John S. Quarterman wrote "The Matrix" which is the
current networker's bible :-)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
On November 3, 1990, Michael Cheney wrote:
} Subject: ACCESS TO UN ARCHIVES?
}
} [forwarded request]
} (1) I am doing doctoral research in Political Science and am
} interested to know if anyone knows of a way to contact the
} United Nations archives in either New York or Geneva via
} one of the international networks (or even by fax).
}
} (3) In particular I am interested in having access to
} "Communications" sent to the Commision on Human Rights
} concerning allegations of violations of human rights in
} Latin America from 1960s to the 1980s.
}
With respect to the archives of U.N. materials, please send
email to Dr. Tzipporah BenAvraham using this email path:
tzippy@bklyn.BITNET
Her political science experience and direct work with the U.N.
may give you some leads.
With respect to the violation of human rights in Latin America,
you could send an inquiry to CRIES@cdp.UUCP - they're on
PeaceNet and send out a newsletter about Latin America and human
rights violations; also try
ladbac@unmb.bitnet
This is the Latin American database proejct at the University of
New Mexico.
Good luck!
Patt Haring patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu
or patth@ccnysci.BITNET
"You can't sink a Rainbow."
-- Greenpeace: Rainbow Warrior
(5) --------------------------------------------------------------16----
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 90 23:38 EDT
From: Grover Zinn <FZINN@OBERLIN.BITNET>
Subject: Re: 4.0692 Summary: A Word for a Vice
Just a vote for infomania, as we press onward in the quest for finding a
label for the new danger of the information age and mailboxes that will
fill up too rapidly!
Grover Zinn
FZINN@OBERLIN