Marilyn Perry On The Meandering Meta Discussion Phenomenon

It's fascinating to observe divergence into meta discussion within discussion and conversation, to observe and be aware of the phenomenon, especially when other people seem unaware of what is happening. Whether during online forum discussions, or within the context of face to face discussions, sometimes discussions that diverge into meta-discussions are quite entertaining in and of themselves. Often when a discussion diverges into a meta-discussion, it provides an opportunity, a meta-opportunity really, to observe the ability of the person or people in the discussion to keep track of the primary discussion topic(s) in addition to the subsidiary and divergent discussion topics at hand.

Discussing discussions that become discussions of the discussion

What can often be fascinating about some people, while observing meta discussion, is that their lack of mental context seems to blow their topical focus around like corks in hurricanes, unable to recall or keep track of the original point and purpose of the discussion. What can be truly delightful though, is to encounter people with the intellectual capacity to keep track of multiple topics within a complex conversation about a subject and its subsidiary divergent subjects. People who can keep track of a discussion and its meta-discussions and subsidiary topics are people likely worth knowing and about whom may likely to be beneficial to know.

In metaphorical computer science parlance, the ability to keep track of multiple conversation topics, is known as execution context. Computer software systems employ a data management structure called a stack to maintain their context. It is quite enjoyable to have conversations with people who are capable of pushing and popping conversation topics on the conversation context stack, so to speak, people who have the ability to remember where they are within both the microscopic context of a conversation and the macroscopic purpose and topics that comprise the primary purpose of the conversation as a whole. Conversely, it is a dreadfully disappointing experience to be in the midst of a complex conversation with someone, when it becomes apparent that the other person can't remember the original and primary purposes for which the conversation began, because they got lost in the discussion's meta-discussions.

The concept meta-discussion has even become formalized within contemporary conversational discourse.

The concept meta-discussion has even become formalized in contemporary conversational discourse. There is even a Wikipedia article on the optic of meta-discussion. However, some people consider divergence into meta-discussions rude and quite annoying, such as Sarah Fitz-Claridge. The February 11, 2005 article Meta-Discussion: An Explanation  by Sarah Fitz-Claridge ignited a firestorm of discussion across the web that lasted for several years. The article by Sarah Fitz-Claridge, and the many online debates it kindled were the inspiration for these cogitations about meta discussion as well (Meta Discussion - An Explanation, by Sarah Fitz-Claridge - archival PDF copy available below for download, not available on current Sarah Fitz-Claridge website).

Assessing and judging a person's ability to manage, and be aware of, conversational tangents, intellectual divergences, and subsidiary topical distractions, is one of several excellent methods for gauging another person's social and interpersonal compatibility. Admittedly,  however, when meta-discussions diverge significantly far astray, it's readily apparent that some people become irretrievably lost within them, having lost their sense of the purpose for which the primary discussion began. Similarly irretrievable online discussions can sometimes be hilariously amusing to observe however, especially after the fact.

Often though, online meta discussions tend to leave a lasting record of their topical breadcrumb trails. Sometimes, however, with their topical breadcrumb trails blown away by digital detritus, blown far off course by gale force wind strength meta-discussions that led the conversation, the core social discourse, astray, create fascinating artifacts, even if such artifacts can be rather dismaying as well. 

Thank you for visiting this website, my personal website, and hopefully your enjoyment the information and content shared here publicly at www.marilynperry.com. Marilyn Perry | Thursday, July 3, 2014