The Writers Club
Library of Creative Writing
Editorial © by Dopesick 1997
All Rights Reserved
Page by Jilli
WHAT'S IN A NICK?
By: Dopesick
IRC, pretty much the only form of true to life contact on the internet. The one place where you can actually talk to someone and not have to wait a day or two for a reply. Although lag time and splits can seriously affect the enjoyment of an IRC session. I can be found more often than not on the Undernet in the #deathmetal channel or DALnet in #the_WritersClub channel. I frequent other channels, but I hate when a channel gets extremely busy and you can hardly get a word in edge wise, and even if you do it gets completely lost amongst all the other babble.
Now I am sure you are wondering why I am limiting myself just to the Undernet and DALnet, well to be honest, the Undernet is the only IRC server that has a channel for deathmetal, and DALnet is the only IRC server with an excellent channel for writers. So if you are on the Undernet or DALnet just look for dopesick, that's me. And that nick is the purpose of this commentary.
I have been using dopesick ever since I started IRCing. If you are into deathmetal you'll know what the nick is, if not, I'll explain it. Dopesick is the title of a CD of one of my favourite bands: EYEHATEGOD. There is no deep meaning or symbolism within my using this nick, it is just a nick. Much like my alter-ego mr.bungle, but that's another story. Anyway, like I was saying it is just a nick, and five days ago that nick got me banned from a channel. Banned? What are you talking about? Yup, banned. How did that happen you may ask? Well, I didn't do much except join a channel and within four minutes I was kicked and then banned. The channel was #teachers_lounge, and the server was DALNET.
Now, like i said before, I usually stick with the Undernet but Dalnet is the only server with channels for teachers, and since I teach kindergarten I felt it might be useful and informative. So I joined the first channel I saw and there happened to be only two people on: Hawk_I and g00dgirl. Right away I said "hi" and "how's it goin?", and they returned the greeting, but g00dgirl proceeded to ask me what my nick was all about. As I began to explain it to her she told me to change it since students frequent the channel. Needless to say I was somewhat taken back by the request and I told her that I am a firm believer in getting to know someone before passing judgement on them. She replied by telling me to change my nick or I will get kicked out of the channel. I couldn't believe it, I told them that I didn't understand how things had reached the point where they are. Hawk_I said that I was out of control and that I better change my nick, and g00dgirl kicked me out. I freaked!!!
I went right back in and automatically g00dgirl said that I better change my nick or next time it will be a kick and a ban. I just repeated myself and told her that she hasn't even taken the time to get to know me yet. She said I have to change my nick first because it is promoting drug abuse!!! I freaked again!! I said I couldn't believe that they, as fellow teachers, could have such a closed mind as to judge someone by their nickname. I am sure you could guess what she did next? That's right, I got my ass kicked and then banned. I was not happy. I couldn't believe what I had just been subjected to. These people had the audacity to accuse me of promoting drug abuse when they don't even know me!!!! And they call themselves teachers? Do they bring this same closed mindedness into their classrooms? If a student has a deathmetal shirt on do they label that student as a satanist?
I could turn it right back in their faces and say that they should change their nicks as well. g00dgirl could be promoting prostitution and pornography. Hawk_I could be promoting alcoholism and the glorification of war. Now I know that sounds a little far fetched, but for them to say that my nick is promoting drug abuse is just about, if not more, far fetched. I mean granted my nick has the word dope in it, but look at the second word: sick. I could be saying that doing dope is sick, or it will make you sick. But I am not saying anything, it is just a nickname . And if they are worried about my nick giving the students the wrong idea then I guess they haven't checked out the titles of the other channels on Dalnet. All one of the students have to do is a channel listing and they will have been exposed to every vulgarity known to humankind. But I guess the channel #child_sex_fuck_pics isn't as bad as dopesick.
There is an upside to this whole fiasco though. After getting my ass banned I decided to head on over to the other teacher channel: #teacher. Upon entry I once again gave a friendly greeting and was replied with the same courtesy. Nobody asked about my nick so I decided to ask if they would like to hear about my adventures in #teachers_lounge. They said sure so I proceeded to tell them what happened.
When I finished the people were appaled. They said there was no reason for what they did and that my nick was fine. The general consensus was the same as mine: you should get to know someone before passing judgement. Now some people suggested that I change my nick since it is causing me so much trouble, but I said that people recognize me on IRC as dopesick. So I am not about to change it so a few close minded individuals can feel better about themselves. Other than that, the members of the channel had no problems. We talked, got to know each other, and had fun; just what an IRC session should be, not people taking their OP status as a sign of deification, passing judgement upon whomever they wish.
Sadly though, this happens and will probably continue to happen as long as IRC exists. I would just like to thank the members of #teacher on Dalnet for taking the time to get to know me for who I am and not my nick, especially Garrie and Enefenee (hope I spelt it right?). As for those in #teachers_lounge, g00dgirl and Hawk_I, you know how I feel, I just hope you really thought about your actions that day and just how ignorant and out of line they were.