Going Tribal

The human is by nature a social animal and no more so than the tribe of blipus internetus, which was first recorded 100 days after the ]evolution of Blipus Sapiens and their ]Tribal Bags.

The blipus internetus man/woman or ("blipper" for short) has been shaped by evolution over a 1200 blip period, which started with a ]lone blipper. With the invention of fire and tools about 700 blips ago, a small tribe was established and the social life of a blipper became that of a warrior/hunter searching for a photo every day. The survival of the individual and immediate family, in those harsh times, depended on the survival of the tribe. Even in these early times each blipper became members of several groups within the tribe.

Management and planning was required within these ancient times. The decision on when to move a server or add a new feature, for example, was critical to the survival of the entire tribe.

Each blipper primarily served his own family and friend unit, providing photos and bad chat to keep people up to date. Blippers formed phishing, hunting, climbing, walking or skiing groups to gather communal blips. Tribal management and leadership rested with a select group.

The drives which cause the blipper to gather into groups and sub-groups are instinctive, the product of millions of seconds of evolution. Blipper instincts have never been uniform, and many instincts are selfish in nature. Successful group effort requires social norms and ]rules of conduct that everyone follow. Intellectual control over instinct (self-discipline) developed as a distinguishing characteristic of the blipper. The more disciplined the tribe, the more focused its work, the better it survived and grew.

Each individual within the group is autonomous, but cooperative for a common cause and mutual back slapping. Each blipper is willing (indeed is driven by his own instincts to do so) to give praise and constructive criticism for the benefits he will gain from the group.

The behaviour of blipper (the blip culture) and the addictiveness and bond with fellow blippers can affect his ability to survive. But it is this close tribal bond with his fellow blippers that keeps the tribe vibrant and alive. With luck and judgement, the blipus internetus will be with us for a long time yet?

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Once again, thanks to Joe and all the Blipkateers at blip central - you guys do a grand job.

All of you fellow blippers make this place what it is. I can't believe that more than a hundred of you subscribe to my drivel and that over 200 days my stuff has been viewed more than 53250 times and some of you even commented on my stuff. Wow.

Massive thanks also of course to Mrs42 for putting up with all of this ... now I'll shut up before this turns into some sort of Oscar speech!

Note: No text, logos or other graphics were harmed during the making of this blip.