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 Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:31 pm
So: recently, my university, the University of Oregon, put on an experimental theatre piece titled Anonymous. Predictably it concerned anonymity in our society, its different implications and how we respond to it.
One particular part of the show was a room which included, among other things, four TV screens playing the same pretend-ad for a product, the AnonyKit, at staggered times. Part of the AnonyKit was the Anonymizer, a software which would hide your computer's broadcasted IP number so you could surf the internet anonymously. The character promoting this software used it to search horse-love sites without people harassing him about it.
It is so easy to be whatever you want to be on the internet. There are a lot of posts on Gaia, for example, with people telling how they can
- See ghosts
- Use telekinetics or telepathy
- Astral project
- Train in their special mental plane for a supposed war on the astral plane where demons are going to destroy humanity for no particular reason
- Have special abilities most people don't have.
Now, I don't have any special powers, including any of the above. I'd like to believe in it because it's a neat idea, but I don't trust such things people claim on the internet. It's hard enough to verify in real life. So I am always wondering, how many of these people are for real and how many are just saying things to sound cool or roleplay on the internet, the great equalizer?
My question: how do you approach the ability to be anonymous on the internet and what do you think about it? Do you ever make things up, or lie about certain things outright (different from just withholding information)? Have you ever done so and no longer do so? Ever known anyone who did and found out about it later?
Personally I don't like to embellish my attributes or life or whatever on places like Gaia. Whatever someone else might think, I still have to live with myself saying these things. I'm still going to react to whatever someone says in response. Plus, I'd honestly feel like an idiot making up stories to impress pixels on a screen, or I'd just feel pathetic for being needlessly dishonest.
What do you all think?
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Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:43 pm
Hmm, an interesting inquiry. For the most part I use the anonymous nature of the internet to let myself go. I flirt openly when I feel like it, I'm much more likely to state my opinions and I'm much more likely to confront those who I do not like.
As for making things up...I admit I do on occasion, but normally I only use such a tactic to annoy people who present themselves as highly stuck up and better than those around them.
Most of all I try and stay honest, even if I do withhold some information for the sake of feeling more comfortable. This allows me to open up to an extent I am unable to do normally (unless drunk...I open up a bit too much then). It's probably one reason that I tend to make good friends online much easier than in real life, though I do still manage. And yes, I have known some people who lead the double life. Though the most notable case was completely by accident.
-Note to gamers out there, if your big sister plays a game and has a good friend, for the love of god notify the friend when you take over her account. It is a rude awakening to have to find out such a thing from another person half a year later.
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Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:48 pm
Huffon Halfmorph Hmm, an interesting inquiry. For the most part I use the anonymous nature of the internet to let myself go. I flirt openly when I feel like it, I'm much more likely to state my opinions and I'm much more likely to confront those who I do not like. As for making things up...I admit I do on occasion, but normally I only use such a tactic to annoy people who present themselves as highly stuck up and better than those around them. Most of all I try and stay honest, even if I do withhold some information for the sake of feeling more comfortable. This allows me to open up to an extent I am unable to do normally (unless drunk...I open up a bit too much then). It's probably one reason that I tend to make good friends online much easier than in real life, though I do still manage. And yes, I have known some people who lead the double life. Though the most notable case was completely by accident. -Note to gamers out there, if your big sister plays a game and has a good friend, for the love of god notify the friend when you take over her account. It is a rude awakening to have to find out such a thing from another person half a year later. first part: knowing you, i would agree. second part: rofl... who was this? were you on the "rude awakening" end?
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Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:16 pm
Jhuinya Melbourne first part: knowing you, i would agree. second part: rofl... who was this? were you on the "rude awakening" end? Back in our EQ days, before I met you even, I played with a female ranger named Tagato. In fact I played a lot with her, probably a good third of my time in EQ was spent exploring and questing with her. I will admit, I did like her quite a bit. We talked about our lives, did suicidal things, and in general had a blast. After a bit she took a break and came back. That's when I noticed a change in her. She became a loot whore, and started to be on the verge of annoying. I ignored the loot whoring because she was my friend from way back. One day when talking to Fullback (you probably remember him) I mentioned Tagato as a female. He took a second, then informed me that I was wrong. Being slightly confused by this I asked how he knew. He told me that considering he lived down the street from Tagato's family that he knew it was a boy playing. After about a week of being very very confused I figoured out what had happened. Tagato, being a year or so older than me, had gone to college, and her younger brother had taken over the account and no one had informed me.
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Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:42 pm
Huffon Halfmorph Hmm, an interesting inquiry. For the most part I use the anonymous nature of the internet to let myself go. I flirt openly when I feel like it, I'm much more likely to state my opinions and I'm much more likely to confront those who I do not like. As for making things up...I admit I do on occasion, but normally I only use such a tactic to annoy people who present themselves as highly stuck up and better than those around them. Most of all I try and stay honest, even if I do withhold some information for the sake of feeling more comfortable. This allows me to open up to an extent I am unable to do normally (unless drunk...I open up a bit too much then). It's probably one reason that I tend to make good friends online much easier than in real life, though I do still manage. And yes, I have known some people who lead the double life. Though the most notable case was completely by accident. -Note to gamers out there, if your big sister plays a game and has a good friend, for the love of god notify the friend when you take over her account. It is a rude awakening to have to find out such a thing from another person half a year later. Ditto here. I enjoy being an ambigious idea instead of being connected to a face. Why? Because then I'm not limited to simply one title or label, but able to expand to whatever I want. An escape I guess it could be said. *shrugs* I admit that I use to pretend in being older, wiser, and etc, however, from what I learn, "A wise man admits to nothing." thus the practice in confessing who I really am or what I wish I was has ended and left behind a voice with no shell. Or at least that's how I like to see myself in this world of text. Either way, I guess whatever floats your boat for who ever is reading this is the one who is going to cast judgment on if it is true or not, even if you know the truth.
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Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:07 pm
Personally, I don't really approach the internet terribly different from how I approach real life in terms of honesty and morality. Since I write *coughcheesyfanfictionscough*, I've been know to fudge my updates and reasons for my long absences on occasion, but not very much. I feel far too guilty if I don't give the truth.
As far as personal information, I never bother fudging my experiences because usually when I share, nobody tends to care or comment which is fine by me. I never offer specifics because I honestly don't think it would matter and I don't want to be bothered by people on the offhand chance that I might run into them in the real life. Besides, I've never been close enough to any set of people or friends online in general (unless I know them in real life). I just bounce around, anonymous, observing and commenting when I feel like ofering an opinion.
But compared to real life, I'm much more able to offer an opinion A) because I care enough about an issue to give an opinion B) I can compose my thoughts beforehand in written form, unlike in a face to face conversation (that, and I just fail at talking in public in general) and C) it's just easier to voice an opinion that's more true to what I believe without having that opinion pinned to my face, defining me, every time I meet someone who happened to hear said opinion in real life. (Somewhat of a stupid answer yes, but it irks me when people point and say, "Hey, isn't that the girl who said the most inane thing the other day?")
Sure people can look back on my posts and tell me I'm an idiot or tease me to death for what I say, but I won't have to deal with that in real life. I tend to get so wracked by my own nerves about what other people think of my opinions that it's a big stressor for why I don't offer an opinion (unless it's to a trusted group of friends) at all in a public setting. I know I need to grow up about that kind of thing, but it's a work in progress for me. I'm getting better thankfully. And that's one of the reasons anonymity is so appealing from my viewpoint.
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Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:55 pm
Solvent - yeah hehe.. a long time ago I used to chat on MSN or something, I dunno... really old chats hotmail had set up. I said i was a grade ahead of what I was, but that's because I was in like 7th grade.
Shirin - sounds familiar =) I also find it easier to discuss stuff online cause I suck at thinking on my feet. Which means as a theatre major I am better as a techie domokun
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Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:57 pm
Well, let me see, normally, I'm Cosplaying, so I'm in character ((this is a Cosplay account, you'll hear some rediculus things, like being held captive under Vadim von Bombastus the Fifth, don't worry, my discussion will make up for it.))
But really, I only make things for my RP Characters, I mean, as with the psychic, I am not very good at things ike that, I'm a damned good card guesser ((I've only messed up once with my friend having me guess cards....)) and I've seen my friend's aura once/i] when I was concentrating, otherwise, I'm not Magical in any way.
But I like to create personalities over the internet, I have more Cosplay accounts than I can keep track of.
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Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 1:11 pm
Good topic!
I'm just myself online. I suck at RP and I suck at making things up, so its the default, really. I can probably be more open online than IRL, in part like others because I can take time to clarify my thoughts before expressing them. Backspace, backspace, backspace ^^;;
I don't think of anyone as pixels on the screen, even if they are a persona. There's still a real person somewhere there, who should be treated with kindness and respect...
Though I admit I flamed someone real bad once a couple years ago :/ That's not something I'd likely do IRL.
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Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 6:20 pm
Eressevanta Maileakuuma Good topic! I'm just myself online. I suck at RP and I suck at making things up, so its the default, really. I can probably be more open online than IRL, in part like others because I can take time to clarify my thoughts before expressing them. Backspace, backspace, backspace ^^;; I don't think of anyone as pixels on the screen, even if they are a persona. There's still a real person somewhere there, who should be treated with kindness and respect... Agreed. That's something I think a lot of people forget. Then they end up coming off as ruder than they might be :/
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Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:27 pm
Dude, I have a link to my myspace on this thing. There is no shame for me.
I am bolder in print though. I wax shy/scared/nervous/fidgety in person. Also I cuss more. This PG-13 thing is breaking my {nonexistant} balls.
Nevertheless, the temptation has arisen on numerous occasion to pretend I was someone else. I did do that a few times as a practical joke, but me, being who I am, couldn't really hold it in for long.
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 6:41 am
I personally try to be myself on the internet. When roleplaying, I'm roleplaying a fictional character in third person in a thread where people know I'm doing that, and it's not me.
I also like to be relatively anonymous for the simple reason of safety, but that's about it.
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CRANBERRI f r u i t c u p
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:02 pm
I can't Rp worth a crap, and even all the stories I write that I try to make fictional are all real life experiences. hehe. So everything I tell someone about me is truth. Now I'm not gonna say that I have superpowers and read your minds. Cause I can't. Sometimes I can approximate what you're thinking but your expressions but I can't read you minds. I do get dejavu quite often, and I call the first time I see them visions, but I won't tell you that I talk to ghost every day, or that I've actually seen the God or the Devil because I can't.
...but I did write a poem about this once.
The most my personality changes while I'm on the internet are the words I use, and how intelligent my statements sound. Haha. Like that makes much of a difference, but over the internet I have the time to take back words that could end up being fighting words.I hate confrontations. That is unless it's a debate about some not overly discussed topic. I also cuss less over the internet, but that could be because this is a PG13 site,and I've trained myself. Did I say anythign about being able to articulate my thoughts better through typed words?
Anyway, I hate those people who you can tell are trying to be something they're not, just because of the things they're interested in, and yet know absolutely about.
I also hate those people who purposely start fights over the internet because they know they can't get hurt. It goes like one of my favorite sayings.
Fighting over the internet
Is like participating in the Special Olympics
Even if you win,
You're still retarded.
I know that may be mean, and my any definaition harsh, but in my opinion it's nothing but truth.
Thank you for your time. You have just finished: Another rant by N ! C K !
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:16 am
"The sky-is-falling" news specials about internet ***** aside, I think the temptation to exaggerate and distort the truth when there's really no way of accurately disproving the validity of their claims over the internet is far too tantalizing for most people. Hell, I'll be perfectly honest and say that I've caught myself doing it a few times in the past. I try my hardest to be transparent (within reason) on Gaia, for example, but the lure of being faceless is always there. I think a lot of people take social sites like this as an opportunity to display a side of themselves that they wouldn't otherwise be able or willing to express in real life. The psychological health of this sort of role-playing is up for debate, but it's certainly better to have at least some kind of outlet rather than none at all. I've been on the 'net for a long enough time to realize most fakes when they crop up, but I still get incensed when they do. It's kinda grating to make a conscious effort to be honest, and then see someone lying through their teeth without the slightest moral apprehension.
As for the whole mess about how valid information gleaned from the internet is...Well, I think information from reputable sites is no less reliable than a magazine or an official report, but once one ventures outside the sphere of established sources of information, that's when things get fuzzy. Blogs and Wikipedia are perfect examples of this. The power of the internet is that a lie can easily and very rapidly be circulated to a massive audience. And the damage can be difficult to mop up. I take everything I hear outside of well-known sources with a grain of salt. "Trust, but verify."
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:27 pm
ashlander_alpha I think a lot of people take social sites like this as an opportunity to display a side of themselves that they wouldn't otherwise be able or willing to express in real life. This is a pretty interesting anomaly of the internet... and anonymity in general. It got brought up a lot in our show. Some people used it to do good, others used it to do bad. It's pretty varied how people act when they have such an opportunity.
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