WHY DON'T PEOPLE COME AS THEMSELVES?

When I started out on Abuzz about 10 years ago, usernames (as opposed to one's real name) were de rigeur. Very few people used their real names.

I started with another account, then "sozobe" became a spare account. I enjoyed the lack of baggage attached to such an unidentifiable name (there were no avatars back then). People didn't know my age, gender, likely cultural background, etc., etc. (Many people assumed I was a man, which I thought was amusing.)

That kind of freedom in debate, especially political debate (which was how I spent a lot of my time early on), was enjoyable.

As time went on I kept it mostly from inertia -- I'm soz, that's how people know me, it'd be weird to change.

The "sozobe" persona is pretty indistinguishable from my real-life persona. I've been aware for a long time that anything I write may not stay anonymous, and I've tried to ensure that I'm comfortable with that. (That is, that I wouldn't be mortified if something I've posted was attached to my real name.) (I haven't always succeeded.)

My husband is a much more private person than I am and since I do say things about him now and then, he much prefers that I stay anonymous.

And I say a whole lot about my daughter, who isn't of age to make those decisions, really, re: anonymity. I prefer to err on the side of caution there (though, yes, it would be most cautious to just not post about her at all).

1 Reply

@sozobe,

Does that name signify something ?

1 Reply

@mark noble,

mark noble wrote:

Hi A lyn,
What more is there, age 42, weight 12.12, shoe size 11 UK, hair brown, eyes brown, height 6ft, colour light tan, vehicle ford, home house. Is that enough for you?
I had a great day thankyou, A Lyn - saw a moose (in a photograph)- spent some time in garden with my dogs - watched Richard harris singing mcarthurs park - had a great meal - found some common-ground with krumple - met a trapeze artist (online) - listened to roger waters' tide is turning (live in berlin version) wrote some verses - fed and watered my vegetables and fruit trees - made a trifle - did a bit of research - chatted to you, and got ripped to shreds by some disillusioned original A2K'rs. Brilliant day! except for that last bit.

You?
xxx
Mark...

Thank you for sharing. For fairness' sake, I am twenty years old, 120 lbs, shoe size 6 US, blonde hair, blue eyes, (German heritage), 5'5'', vehicle pontiac, home house. None of that information is a giveaway as to my name, for which I apologize for not sharing.
I am impressed that you found some common ground with Krumple. This has happened only one or two times for myself. Also, your day did sound rather lovely. Mine was as well. I spent the day with German friends on the beach in Connecticut. We had a lovely fish dinner and strawberries for dessert. I am once more home and taking shelter from the 90* weather outside. My fruit trees are surely enjoying it, though.

Nice to get to know you better. I hope you are in one piece again.

A Lyn

1 Reply

@OmSigDAVID,

Sort of. (No, I won't explain. Smile

)

0 Replies

@mark noble,

People always come as themselves. Even disguising your identity doesn't do much since i think we can all agree you are not your name or your actions. That means changing these doesn't can't change you. my username was picked because i thought it looked pretty cool, something middle eastern or something.

2 Replies

@sjiden,

sjiden wrote:

People always come as themselves. Even disguising your identity doesn't do much since i think we can all agree you are not your name or your actions. That means changing these doesn't can't change you. my username was picked because i thought it looked pretty cool, something middle eastern or something.

You say we can all agree that we are not our names and actions? What, pray tell, do you think we are to each other other than those things? I tend to believe that hearing the same name over and over again for one's entire life has a large impact on our personalities. And if you argue "what's in a name" I will tell you to read Isaac Asimov's short story "Spell My Name With An S". Actually, read it anyways because it's good. Smile

0 Replies

@A Lyn Fei,

Hi A Lyn,
I couldn't care less what your real name is, I know and like the person A lyn that pops into my digi-space and fills all the gaps. Thank you for the other info though, It does aid the overall picture.
So you're short, dumb and drive a gas-guzzler to proudly sun it up on the beach with Neo-nazi fish-slaughterers. I'm good at this - got you down to a tee, eh?

I'm in one piece, indeed, thank you. Only the thread got torn, but hey... you Know?
xxx
Mark...

1 Reply

@sjiden,

sjiden wrote:

People always come as themselves. Even disguising your identity doesn't do much since i think we can all agree you are not your name or your actions. That means changing these doesn't can't change you. my username was picked because i thought it looked pretty cool, something middle eastern or something.

Is it cool to be middle eastern ?

0 Replies

@Sticky,

Stickystan is a name that a long time a2k poster, Kickycan (one of our good writers and beloved jesters (I mean that in a nice way) came up with in order to be able to post when a2k was having some recent gliches.

0 Replies

@mark noble,

Excellent skills of deduction, except for one thing: my darling auto gets 40mpg. That's pretty good for a petrol engine. Otherwise, you couldn't have a clearer picture.

Glad you're in one piece. Threads tear with time and use. This is why we get to weave new ones.

A Lyn

1 Reply

@A Lyn Fei,

Hi A Lyn,
Yeah, but a gallon in the US is about 10 cents I hear. We pay about 8 dollars 50 over here for the same, but in pounds and pence.
xxx
Mark...

1 Reply

@mark noble,

But what I hear is that you have excellent public transportation. The nearest train or bus station from my house is a half hour drive away. If a gallon jumped to $10.00 here, one might see rioting in the streets, assuming that everyone had enough fuel to drive to a populated area...

A Lyn

1 Reply

@A Lyn Fei,

Hi A Lyn,
There is nothing in this coastal city for me to complain about. It is the most friendly, welcoming place in the world. If I could be anywhere in the world I would be right where I'm at.
xxx
Mark...

1 Reply

Hi All,
I'm an observer, and I don't miss a trick. It's comforting to see so many of you displaying photographs of yourselves and coming as who you really are. I hope this catches on, It's a breath of fresh air indeed!!!
Thank you guys, and have a brilliant evening. I'm off to take a photo of me now. Haven't got any at all thus far. How do I take one - sitting, eating, leaning, snorting cocaine (joke)? You tell me.....?!
xxx
Mark...

1 Reply

@mark noble,

Ideally it should be a naked photo head-to-toe on a plain background. Anything else would be a misrepresentation or at least a distortion of the real you.

1 Reply

@Eorl,

Hi Eorl,
Ha ha, I'm not falling for that one, even if I am kinda gorgeous to view in my birthday suit. I thought maybe a distant profile (about a mile should suffice!)
xxx
Mark...

1 Reply

@mark noble,

Sounds lovely. Living in the Adirondack Mountains is lovely, as well. From my windows right now, I see a field lit up with lightening bugs and pale moonlight. Beyond this field is the silhouette of many mountains, usually blue in daylight, but now grey with night.

A Lyn

0 Replies

@mark noble,

I wasn't serious, obviously, but I was also trying to make a point that went to the heart of the thread topic.

1 Reply

Come as you are
As you were
As i want you to be
As a friend
As a friend
As an old enemy . . .

1 Reply

@mark noble,

mark noble wrote:

Hi Guys,
Why is it that so many of you arrive at forums such as this and introduce yourself as other than you?

Because of things like this:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/05/27/2010-05-27_video_gamer_hunts_down_stabs_man_who_killed_his_online_counterstrike_character.html

1 Reply

WHY DON'T PEOPLE COME AS THEMSELVES?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know