h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Social Chameleon - A1003492
Author: lone†ree - U222397

When I first explored H2G2 I read some entries similar in form to this one, so I created this at the time, thinking I could expand it to a number of articles. Alas, I only ever got this finished, then life occurred and I never even submitted this. At least I am remedying that now.

This is very good!

Well structured, informative, an analysis of the commonplace, which always mark out some of the better entries on h2g2!

I can already think of a few people to whom this label might apply.

The only small point I would make at the moment would be to call it "The Social Chameleon" - an almost trivial point, but it then it sounds more like a guide entry and not, as I thought at first, a possible piece of fiction.

I will try to take a more comprehensive read of this later, but for now, just to say I liked it and well done.

Woodpigeon

Yes - interesting - horribly applicable to me to be honest, especially the bit about mimicing accents - drives my family wild - I don't even notice it.

In the last sentence there's one small freudian slip where you refer to the chameleon as her, instead of them.

Yes, good work.

However, I come away from this with a feeling that all social chameleons are shallow, insincere, to wit, politicians.

There may be valid occasions (nerd at a sports pub) or reasons
(extreme shyness, etc.) that could be expounded upon...perhaps ludicrous examples of chameleon-in-extremis?

I'm sure all of us have resorted to some type of social camouflage on occasion...but I agree, the habitual types are an interesting study.

Again, well done.

The 'her' was extremely deliberate.

Thanks for paying attention. I am not sure I should leave it in, tho'. It harks back to an article by Hofsteader in Scientific American about gender models and assumptions in articles and stories. He gave some amusing examples. This is my homage.

l†

Ineresting to read. My highest praise.

Just one question: Is this term 'social chameleon' widely used, is it an kind of 'official' term?

HELL

3,840 Google hits on "social chameleon" including:

You tell lies when the truth will do
You are the social chameleon what on earth we gonna do with you?
Slip your neck into a rope, show me a smile
Youd run a mile
Then you are free, so wheres the goal?
Wheres the style? You want the dough
Got dead sea scrolls for you and your women too

Shes got corpses in her mouth
Still shes holding hands with you
Its cut like crystal chandeliers
Ill shine like diamonds in her ears
-Ian Brown

4000 Google hits is not much I think. I wonder if people will still use this term in 5 years...

HELL

I'm not sure if we have to be so strict about insisting that the term be well known. Oojakapiv highlighted the excellent edited entry recently "The Egg Banjo" A776054. I'm not sure if that is a recognised term - it only gets 500 hits in Google, but it's still a superb entry.

I was *not* saying that the Entry is not good or anything not worth inclusion. I *want* this to be in the EG.

That being said...

I was only just wondering if the term is widely used or not. Turns out it is not. I just asked for me to know if I can use it when I speak English with someone. I think I should not wonder if the person doesn't understand it, or never heard this term.

Great Entry an all...

...really.

HELL

Sorry Hell - I think I misinterpreted you somewhat.

I would tend to say that if you said in English that someone was a bit of a chameleon socially, that people might actually figure out what you mean.

W

I think this is a good entry as well. I also think you could mention the fine Woody Allen film 'Zelig', which is about the ULTIMATE social chameleon.

Interesting, nicely offbeat entry. I have spotted a few grammatical errors.

1) You tend to leave spaces between words and footnotes. You shouldn't do this.

2) Footnote 2 would be much better in the body of the entry.

3) Characterization section: "This is also a disadvantage - for example- if the society" the second hyphen would look better as a comma.

3) Footnote 2 : "It can even be argued that all members of a successful society by necessity have more or less of this characteristic as it provides for a much more effective, functioning of that society" lose the comma.

I have not seen this film - an oversight I will remidy at my earliest convenience as Woody Allen is one of my more favoured auteurs.
If has merit I will gladly add a reference.
l†

Thanks for the feedback - I'll fix up an improved entry middle of next week.

The footnote 2, in my opinion, should stay a footnote as putting it in the body could give the impression that the trait of a social chameleon is a 'good thing', and while this may be true, it reduces the impact of the entry.
Hence also the weak start to the note ' it can even be argued...'

l†

I used the term 'Social Chameleon' as a play on Social Butterfly, which was in fact the first entry I was working on, but during the process I had much more inspiration to do the social chameleon, and abandoned the butterfly (for now).
l†

Now thats scarey - someone just called me a chamealeon - I don't hink they use hootoo.

Author elvised.

Now I quite like the spirit of this - anyone else agree that Flea Market might be better than Back to Entry?

Yup flea market seconded...although we aren't reeeaaalllyyy supposed to put things in there unless someone expresses an interest in taking it on I believe...but we always do anyway.