2008 - Communication Across the Curriculum (CAC)

S o c i o l o g y
n00bs 7 is left largely to groups of more experienced players.
From this stable foundation of cultural norms, smaller groups
have developed. Many aspects of real world social structure
are mirrored in the virtual world. While a nuclear family group is
unnecessary, a primary group is often found in an organization
known as a Guild. These player groups can range from a few
players who have banded together for the easy chat functions
the grouping mechanic affords them, to larger groups who
organize regularly for a practice known as raiding in which a
group of close to 150 players chooses to literally lay siege to
an enemy town or village. Many times a guild will serve the
same purpose as a family group for new players, taking on the
responsibility of teaching the young adventurers their roles in
the online society. These roles can range from broad categories
like the unspoken politeness codes mentioned earlier, to more
specific roles based on your class or profession choice. For
instance, returning to World of Warcraft as an example, a guild
might teach a starting rogue that in a group their job is to sneak
around the enemies, whereas a warrior would receive instruction
on making sure to attack enemies first so they don’t notice more
fragile members of a party. Guilds and the smaller groups that
spawn from them are a major source of socialization in a virtual
society. Two larger types of groups involve links between Guilds
known as Alliances and Factions. Alliances exist between guilds
and Factions are formed when multiple Alliances band together
for a common purpose. While small guilds serve the purpose
of facilitating close relationship and help regulate social roles
among players, larger groups, factions in particular, serve as
informal power groups, often dictating a game server’s 8 unique
customs and folkways. From this community socialization
structure, reputation and status begin to take a larger role in
MMORPG makeups.
It has been said that whenever humans gather, like dogs,
dominance is always established. In the society of America, this
point is proven true by the very manner in which our statuses
are arranged. At the top of the proverbial food chain, celebrities
and the wealthy hold the pinnacle of power in society, and
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W r i t i n g A c r o s s t h e C u r r i c u l u m