Adam Bailey <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>The Internet, by its very nature, is anonymous. Unless you want to
restrict >subscriptions to By Owner and require that people send you some
kind of proof >of identity, there's no reason why I couldn't subscribe to a
list as "John >Doe."

True.  However, I think one of the reasons Listserv works so well in so
many cases is because when people join a list, the sign-up process
indicates to them that they are interacting with other human beings
(including the list owners), and they are therefore perhaps less likely to
act like jerks.  Of course this does nothing to deter hardcore spammers and
determined idiots, but I think it helps in many cases because asking for
someone's name kind of says, "Hi, we're glad you're with us, and we'd like
to know who you are in return for letting you into our community."

It's like walking into the GAP and having the salesperson near the door
(have you noticed there's almost always one there?) say hello to you.  Yes,
it makes you feel welcome in the store, but the real purpose is to reduce
shoplifting; having that interpersonal link makes you less likely to steal
because subconsciously you would be stealing from a person you know, even
if on a very superficial level.

Same thing in "Silence of the Lambs" where the Congresswoman pleads on TV
for her daughter's safety, and Clarice comments on the wisdow of repeating
the kidnapped daughter's name; Clarice says if the kidnapper knows the
girl's name and has even the slightest bond with her, he'll be less likely
to harm her.

Wow.  I'm rolling.

-- John