A2K versus 'Real-life' Personality

i'm an observer for the most part, like to just kind of sit back and watch what's going on

everything i say on line i'd say offline, but maybe wouldn't get the chance

online it's much easier to just insert yourself into a conversation than in the real world

i'll be confrontational both on and offline if the stituation warrants it

the only real difference is i'm much better looking online :wink:

I'm much less outspoken online.

I make jokes here that I wouldn't IRL.

I think I'm the same me on-line and off with one exception - flirting.
I'm happily married and I would never flirt with a man in person.

I am just as blunt and loud in person.

You naughty witch! Raising our hopes, for nothing!!! :wink:

I'm pretty much the same online : offline,

however, I agree with the grinch (djjd62) that it's much
easier to enter the discussion through the screen than
in real-life.

Sometimes I'm just not loud enough or aggressive enough
to make my point known.

Pretty similar in general. Early on, when my husband didn't really get this whole thing, he read something that someone said about me and exclaimed "wow, they really KNOW you."

The difference (and part of why I like posting here) is that in some situations with hearing people I have to be way more passive than my "real" personality. Basically, if I'm in a group of hearing people who don't know me very well I have to just kind of nod and smile until I get into the swing of things. If I stop them every other word, there is no flow and I will never be able to figure out their speech patterns (plus it's just a little irritating ). If I sit there stony-faced and not responding at all, I freak them out and they stop turning towards me while speaking. So I have to do this thing where I smile when a joke seems to have been made and furrow my brow when something worrisome seems to have been said and cup my chin and nod thoughtfully when something profound seems to have been said, without participating because I don't yet have a grasp of what is actually being said. Absolutely hate that, though it's a necessary evil, especially as we've moved so much and I have to keep meeting new people (and I don't actually want to keep my social contacts to people who are fluent in ASL).

But sometimes after one of those, when I never really was able to grab onto the conversational thread and I think the impression I made was of an agreeable but slightly dim little wifey, it's really nice to come on here and have fun being way more, well, me.

I'm a nice person in real life.

I'm the opposite. If I told jokes here I do in real life I'd be banned.

Other than that, I guess I'm the same. Overall I'm a friendly, polite guy, but at the same time I have a sick & twisted sense of humor.

And I enjoy long walks on the beach, Italian dinners, and shooting dogs with bb guns.

In real life I sometimes wear glasses.

x

Husbands learn to do this early on.

I have much in common with djjd62 and tomasso. Asserting myself in a conversation between many people is quite difficult. Small groups are my favorite.

Soz, I so agree with you. I am getting fairly hard of hearing and find that it is sometimes easier to appear to hear rather than always ask for the speaker to repeat what was said.

As for how much I and most a2kers are online and off, I have met enough of you in person to know that most of you are very real in either persona. For the most part, posters here are honest about what they write and about who they are and what they represent. In fact, a2kers are pretty much my favorite people.

I hope you have the opportunity to meet some a2kers in person, _Heatwave_. It really is an amazing experience.

I'm pretty close to what you see here. One thing that sort of makes me laugh though is how serious I often read to myself.
Yes, I can be rather serious and opinionated, sometimes rude, in real life. Just like here.
But in real life it doesn't seem to come across so much so. I'm a very physical type person: when I talk, my hands and body do most of the talking.
So, I find a lot of what I say here comes across much harsher than it would if you were to meet me.

Oh, yeah! Meeting the Lady Diane was, to me, one of those...

I am much more handsome and clever in real life . . .

I have the flip side of Sozobe's problem.

Frequently I say something completely obvious and am awarded with blank stares.

I back up, rephrase and try again.

I never try more than three times.

One of the glories of A2K is not having to wear my Kindly, Conventional Public Persona.

I think I am much more animated offline


But, online, I have less boundries. Simply because, if I dont like what someone says, or I am embarassed at what I just said, all I have to do is turn off the computer.

Offline, I dont have that little X in the upper right hand side ..

Thanks, everyone. Very interesting responses.

djjd62: I think I have a lot in common with you. And though I think your avatar is very cute, I don't generally make the mistake of judging the book by the cover - offline or on. So I'm going to let your last sentence be.

George: why do you think that is the case? Do you, unlike some others who have responded here, find it hard to insert yourself into conversations online?

Drewdad: I'd love to hear an example of the jokes you are referring to.

Green Witch: That can be a Whole separate debate by itself......flirting online vs. flirting offline. Honestly speaking, I can indulge in very mild, 'good-humored' flirting....but....not really flirt - if that makes any sense. It's very interesting to read that.

Hey, Bella Dea: I think I just read somewhere else that you are a lawyer? Isn't that almost a requirement in a lawyer - loudness & bluntness? (My father is one too - so no offence meant.)

I'll have to respond to the rest later - baby just woke up....