Guilds Mirror Real Life Street Gangs

http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/1...eal-Life-Gangs

Interesting read for those that may not read /.

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"In June 2009, Dr Neil Johnson published a paper titled "Human group formation in online guilds and offline gangs driven by a common team dynamic" in Physical Review E that found the way in which WoW "guilds" form can be described by a mathematical model that can also be applied to an unrelated group of people, namely street gangs in Los Angeles. Since "Any group that satisfies these fairly autonomous, competitive criteria would also (fit the model)," said Dr Johnson, the findings are of interest to though combating international as well as local terrorist cells."

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Somebody needs smoke this mofo!

Seriously though, what a tool. He should compare the Boyscounts of America before he compares video games.

Well then, I guess every structured group (businesses, schools, governments, military, religions) could resemble a gang.

This guy missed the fact that in order to be successfully at anything a group of people need to be organized to achieve a goal.

This is a good example of another group of "intellects " drunk on their own egos.

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Originally Posted by Korruptor

Well then, I guess every structured group (businesses, schools, governments, military, religions) could resemble a gang.

This guy missed the fact that in order to be successfully at anything a group of people need to be organized to achieve a goal.

This is a good example of another group of "intellects " drunk on their own egos.

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Well yeah that's why gangs stay in business there a:

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Originally Posted by Korruptor

group of people need to be organized to achieve a goal.

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I dont know why they just dont change the name to Gang instead of Guild... I mean come on....

Just another (obvious and sad) attempt to make video games the bad guys.

Thanks Svper, good read. It makes a lot of sense to me, I have thought this to mysef in the past. He talks about two groups with negative associations (gangs and terrorist cells), but I would go further and say that any group where you can choose membership/apply should probably have some common dynamic. Think about school/uni clubs, sports fans, how they react/feel when a member doesn't conform, how they choose their compatriots.

Not sure how insulting him helps; anyone who can accurately model a group dynamic has pretty strong grounds imo.
Also, I myself have experienced 'gang' type situations in larger offices, where a department gets into a silo mentality, you have to play football on thurs nights to be 'one of the boys', all that, so I do not dismiss it on those grounds either.

WoW would be a very convenient way to pose as a member and study such a group. Respectfully; to dismiss the opportunity because of the computer game format would be as blinkered as some of the posts I have just read, and more on par with the WoW boards than these imo.


Ah hah ha.. did you see the first few comments on the article?

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Need crazy bomber - PST stats & achievement (no noobs)

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A bit sick, but lol!


And this: http://xkcd.com/435/

So.....how do multiboxers fit into this group?

I mean, afterall, we just like to play w/ ourselves....

Pull your kids out of school.
After all there is organization for a goal, which means its a gang.

Pretty funny thread, actually.

Seriously, the attitude here says it all. Of course guilds are like street gangs, that explains exactly why they're not fun.

Multiboxers = wannabe gangstas.

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Originally Posted by RobinGBrown

Multiboxers = wannabe gangstas.

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Nah. Multi-boxers = wannabe cult leaders/separatists :eek: