Part Ten: The Digger's Nature

Although he was thoroughly enjoying his time Digging, nubi was again troubled. What troubled him this time wasn't directly a problem with Digg and getting his stories to the front page, though. It was more of an existential problem. He realized that sometimes he felt a little much like a robot, Digging only his friends' stories, and submitting the same sites again and again. He went to the master for counsel.

"Master, although I've been digging a while, I'm confused as to what it really means to be a Digger. Are we just robots, trying to frontpage our stories and that of our friends?"


"That's an interesting thought, nubi. Tell me... since you've been Digging, has the frontpage looked different to you than it did before?"

"Actually, yes. I notice that it appals to me more, and has more stories that I enjoy."

"Could a robot make that happen?"

"No, of course not."

"Well, there you go."

Yet, nubi was still troubled. He continued: "Although this is true, it still makes me wonder what the true nature of a Digger is. I mean, what are we?"

"Well, Digg is considered a sort of a news site, correct?"

"Well, yes it is, Master. But what does that mean for my question?"

"Everything. You see, nubi, we are people who report the news."

"So, we're reporters? That's an interesting thought. Yet we also Digg and Bury the stories of others, and comment upon them, which seems not very like reporting."

"Quite true, that is the realm of the editor."

"We also seem to promote ourselves and our friends, which would make us advertisers as well. Is that correct, Master?"

The Master smiled. "Quite so. It seems you are becoming truly enlightened about the nature of a Digger, nubi. I'm glad to see you have given this much thought."