@Tad you make some great points. You must to excuse me; I tend to vacillate between love and hate, admiration and disgust with the idea of the edublogosphere and the echo chamber. Sometimes it feels that we are all saying the something, simply linking to each other and generally wasting a lot of time, while other times I feel a part of a great-connected family of educators.

You said, “When we want to show connectedness with another person in real-life situations, we mirror their behavior, words, and views. This lets the other person know that we hold similar views, we see them empathetically, we’re on their “side.”

And I agree to an extent, but we also try to try to stake our claim in the world and see who we can draw to ourselves, to help keep our communities rich and vibrant. No body wants to hang out with only people who are exactly like themselves.

You also said, How different is that sort of behavior from various bloggers all writing on a similar topic at the same time? You’re drawing lines, signaling allegiance, separating “us” from “them.” It seems an essential part of human social networking and interaction.

Thanks for putting it that way. Your point ha helped me see the echo chamber in a way. Maybe I can make better use of it, instead of always being so critical.

@Jenny said it best:

Let’s just keep on doing what we’re doing and see where it leads.

…Isn’t that building of community part of what makes the “echo chamber” effect necessary and relevant? When we want to show connectedness with another person in real-life situations, we mirror their behavior, words, and views. This lets the other person know that we hold similar views, we see them empathetically, we’re on their “side.”

When we can’t see one another face to face, when we keep in touch (and even find one another) via a textual medium that lets us break geographic boundaries (certainly few of my friends are interested in digital pedagogy, for example)– isn’t the “echo chamber” effect the result of similar mirroring behavior?

Real-life subcultures and interest groups tend to advertise their affiliation to their “tribe” via behaviors, dress, and use of coded language. Wearing a certain team’s football jersey lets others know that the team matters to you, you count yourself as a supporter, etc. If others who feel the same way, they can spot you, and know they’ve found a member of their tribe. The same can be said of the punk kid’s studded vest and mohawk. Or, for that matter, of the much-more subtle things, like a sci-fi fan using a made-up word from her favorite show. You catch the clues, you know that person is like you, and you empathize, you socialize, you build and expand your network of like minded people.

How different is that sort of behavior from various bloggers all writing on a similar topic at the same time? You’re drawing lines, signaling allegiance, separating “us” from “them.” It seems an essential part of human social networking and interaction.

…Just my two cents, from someone who’s been lurking on your blog for a little while…

The most persistent comment I remember from the conference, was when somebody leaned over to me and said, “Do you know who he is? That’s the Intrepid Teachers.” I was in awe!

– dave –

I am proud to count myself as a member of your tribe.