Assignment 6.1 - I am away from my computer right now.

One fairly stable norm on the Internet is away messages. Most people put up away messages, read those of others, and understand what the presence of an away message means. Additionally, many people have moved beyond the basic function of away messages and use them as a general means of expression, using everything from lyrics to philosophical proverbs as away messages.

There are two basic ways that Internet users come to know about away messages. Someone who has never used an instant messaging service before can either hear about away messages from other people before they begin, or they can learn about them as they see away messages during their initial period of IM use.

The standard of away message use is enforced by the consequences of deviation from this norm. In general, when IM users are not at their computers, or are otherwise unavailable to receive and respond to messages, they put an away message on. Likewise, when people are at their computer, ready to IM, they do not have an away message on. Therefore, when someone with no away message on does not respond to an IM, the sender of that message tends to think the other person is ignoring him. Thus, one reason for using away messages is to avoid any social problems this perception would spark. On the other hand, when people IM someone who does have an away message up, they will use alternate means (i.e. a phone, trying to find the person) to contact him because the presence of an away message tells us that the person will probably not receive the message for quite a while. If the sender simply assumed that someone got all his messages, despite warnings from away messages, this person will cause confusion and frustration. He will find himself alone when he tells people to meet him places, and without the help or advice he asks of people.

In Wallace’s introduction to the Leviathan in chapter 4, she says that we “give up certain freedoms…to live in a predictable and safe world” (p. 69). We might not necessarily give up freedoms, and away messages don’t make us safe. But, the idea of giving in to the away message convention to maintain order and understandability is parallels this concept. We are used to away messages and what they mean. We get annoyed when people forget to put them on, or leave important information with our away message and we don’t get it in time. Thus, we conform to the laws of away messages so that we have an easier time communicating with others.

While there are no policeman patrolling away messages, those who disregard the norms of away message use, are punished by the chaos they cause and by others who are upset by this confusion. A loss of our trust in away messages would eradicate their purpose. The Leviathan is as much of an away message stalker as the rest of us.


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