So, would you write that if you had to sign your real name?

It could also be interpreted as good common sense not to say things anonymously that you would be afraid to say face to face.

i have said many things face to face to folks who did not know my name

why should the internet be any different

i have said many things face to face to folks who did not know my name

Quote:

i have said many things face to face to folks who did not know my name

This kinda obfuscates things...
Sure, anybody can say "many things" face to face with people who don't know their name...
But people tend to be bolder about being mean and/or insulting (those kinds of "things") from the cover of anonymity.

Hence Joe nation's thread - Would you write (say) the same things if you didn't have that cover?

By the way, the use of the word "cowardice" might be inappropriate, since in WWI the term "cowardice" was used, while in WWII the term "shell shock" was used, and in Vietnam "PTSD" was used. In WWI there were soldiers (not Americans) that were shot at dawn for "cowardice."

It is not as though we have all collectively colluded to gang up against any particular posters here. Our responses are to what is posted.

But, on the credit side, at least you participated in this discussion.
Unlike the those anonymous others, who most likely knew perfectly well who Joe was referring to in his opening post (them) & remained silent. At least you have not been as cowardly as they have been.

msolga wrote:

It is not as though we have all collectively colluded to gang up against any particular posters here. Our responses are to what is posted.

I think YOUR responses are simply to address what you see posted msolga - and that's as it should be ideally, but I've also seen the dynamic of groups of posters swooping in to gang up against particular posters for no apparent reason that I can discern except to make their own personal feelings against that poster known.
And when I say that, I am taking into account what that poster has written. It may be the most inoffensive and benign statement about something as subjective or inconsequential as what someone said to them at work that day or what song they like or whatever.

Quote:

But, on the credit side, at least you participated in this discussion.
Unlike the those anonymous others, who most likely knew perfectly well who Joe was referring to in his opening post (them) & remained silent. At least you have not been as cowardly as they have been.

Well, to be honest with you- I don't know who Joe is referring to - so maybe those posters don't know that he's referring to them.

I really don't read anything on this forum that would cause me vehement dislike or disdain or disapproval of anyone on this thread or any other thread I can think of. In my life and mind, people have different opinions and experiences- in terms of religion, politics, etc.- and that's as it should be.

The only thing that turns me off is the actively expressed dislike and disdain for people and their opinions and experiences and to be honest with you, I see most of that expressed by folks who call themselves 'accepting' and 'liberal'.
I mean, politically, I'd label myself a progressive or liberal - but I would never call a conservative an idiot just because s/he had conservative points of view.
And I think that alot of people who are pointing the finger at other people - nameless though they may be- are the ones that I find are the quickest to fly off the handle and make their ire toward others known through name-calling and personal judgment - and maybe that's because THEY can remain anonymous.

I mean, who ARE the people Joe is talking about? I have no idea.


And Joe - I didn't say David was a grumpy old man - I said he was surprisingly mild-mannered in real life - not at all what I'd expected from his posts. I met with him because I always find it interesting to meet people who are different than me as opposed to meeting all the people who are just like me and who agree with everything I say.

My name is Rebecca Hearn by the way. I would have used Rebecca as my screen name from the beginning, but I was told it was already in use - not that I've ever seen another Rebecca on this forum - but so be it.

. . . I have a company to run and a lot of other trips I would prefer to
spend my money on . . .