Impressions on A2K

Forums: a2k, Community, Behavior, Memories, Personalities
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How many of you think that there are people here who are not what they claim to be?

Before you answer, I want to add that I do not think that people 'pretend' any more on the internet than they do in real life. However, people lie in real life. i have heard stories from several women who became involved with men who lied not only about their marital status but about their names.

I've read postings and thought, "That can not be real. The author must be pulling our legs."

I think that had I come upon this site without having been here in the past or on abuzz, that there are posters who I would assume are 17-year-olds enjoying themselves by taking extreme stands.

I also was taken aback by the tone of someone that I had fond . . . but vague . . . memories of, someone who I thought was regarded as a wise person. Instead, I find myself squirming a bit every time I read what this person writes as most of it consists of unwarranted attacks.

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Type: Discussion • Score: 24 • Views: 5,675 • Replies: 68

I think there are some posters here that are just plain unbelievable, some others who have developed "a2k personalities" and most posters are pretty much as they present. the tricky part is that some posters actually believe they are presenting themselves honestly when they are basically dishonest with themselves as to who and what they are.

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@plainoldme,

I must have gotten pretty good at imitating a human character. Nobody has found me out yet. I credit the method acting classes.

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@dyslexia,

I agree with dys. There are people who interact privately with each other
and know whom they're dealing with. They met, they continue to meet if they
choose to and enjoy the friendship.

There are others you don't ever want to meet and simply don't. Personally,
I don't care if they build up their online persona to be a doctor or a lawyer and what not. Time always tells what they truly are about, no need to expose them.

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@Thomas,

What are you talking about? You're only an electronic bot.

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@CalamityJane,

But, a talented one!

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@plainoldme,

Hey, that's German precision work Very Happy

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@dyslexia,

i hadn't considered that some people might have developed "a2k personalities." I have to weigh that idea a bit. I wonder just how long one can continue . . . shall we call it . . . an inauthentic personality. I mean, doesn't Mr. Hyde eventually over-power Dr. Jekyll? Or, does someone become bored with the a2k personality and shed it?

I think in real life, most people are fairly transparent. There are times when people try to change who they are. Sometimes, they succeed and sometimes, they don't.

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I think people are for the most part pretty honest about who they are.

A
R
T

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@plainoldme,

Quote:

I find myself squirming

how dare you smirch setanta's fulminating folderol

k so i don't drink tea, but i'm fond of infusion

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@failures art,

They are. The people who go to the great lengths of using a fake name in an interpersonal relationship are probably the worst.

Frankly, lying is hard work! You really do have to remember what you said.

But, there are a few posters here whose stated descriptions don't match their posts.

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@plainoldme,

plainoldme wrote:

. . . I wonder just how long one can continue . . . shall we call it . . . an
inauthentic personality. I mean, doesn't Mr. Hyde eventually over-power
Dr. Jekyll? Or, does someone become bored with the a2k personality and shed it? . . .

I think that happens.

I played around with another username, adopted a persona different from
my own and tried to stay in character. It was fun, but it was also hard work
and I eventually gave it up.

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Sometimes I think the posts in the Relationship category are written by the same person.

But I play along for the sake of conversation.

But now that the weather is getting better in Michigan, I won't be that interested.

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@plainoldme,

plainoldme wrote:

i hadn't considered that some people might have developed "a2k personalities." I have to weigh that idea a bit. I wonder just how long one can continue . . . shall we call it . . . an inauthentic personality. I mean, doesn't Mr. Hyde eventually over-power Dr. Jekyll? Or, does someone become bored with the a2k personality and shed it?

I think in real life, most people are fairly transparent. There are times when people try to change who they are. Sometimes, they succeed and sometimes, they don't.

I think the opposite may be true. In real life we have to censor ourselves for the sake our our friends, families, coworkers, etc. Behind the online cloak of aninimity, people can be as nasty, friendly, geeky, racist, etc as they want, perhaps as they really are inside. Sometimes you see trolls out there taking extreme stands to get people riled up but even then, those getting riled up know what up and choose to go there.

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@plainoldme,

IRL I'm a prepubescent girl with a fondness for horses and lawn gnomes, but I didn't think I would be taken seriously on A2K if everyone knew that.

No, but seriously, I really am a retired trapeze artist from Costa Rica.

1 Reply

@sullyfish6,

I try not to read the relationship posts.

Where in Michigan are you? I was born in Detroit and lived mostly in Wayne County, with two jaunts, one into Oakland and one into Washtenaw, before moving to New England in 1976.

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ticomaya is the most truthful poster on a2k, he is what he is.

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@engineer,

Oh, I agree that the internet allows people to be nastier than they might be in daily life. I think for some people, venting on the internet is a safety valve. Some of those "trolls" could possibly be dangerous in real life if they couldn't rile up people under layers of anonymity.

But, part of being a troll may include creating a more important title or more responsible job than one has in real life.

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POM, are you implying that I am NOT a goddess?

(icily raises one perfectly arched eyebrow)

1 Reply

I'm just a soul who's intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood

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Impressions on A2K

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