The Online Persona verses the Real You

The people I know in person consider me likable, but eccentric. I try to keep things to myself and yet my thoughts do slip out and then I get the funny looks or that moment of silence. This makes it uncomfortable for me to be around people because I do not feel that I can be myself. I always seem to be on my guard. It's not that I care what people think of me, but why set myself up for ridicule? Who needs it? So I can come on certain forums and be myself, big black eyes, purple skin and all.

I'm the same but due to my position in the heirarcy of life those who frequent these forums will continue to know me as Euclid...

....the Enemy of the Dumb....
....the Enemy of Fanatics of Blind Faith in Religion
....the Enemy of Fanatics of Blind Faith in Science
....the Enemy of All who refuse to believe what is True.

ain't that grand?

Now go and terminate your existence.

I am the same, but different.
That is I have the same opinions and thoughts, but here I can pretty much just "let it all hang out", because I don't care what the reaction will be.
I'm not worried about losing friends and it is OK if you think I am evil.
In my real world I usually let only my general opinions be known and am wary of whom I am telling what.

Many times replies to my posts indicate that I have not communicated well. Negative reactions to my opinions/thoughts therefore actually give me something to work on. It gives me the opportunity to hone my communication skills.

I think people are more themselves here than they are in the real world.
Society trains us well to ridicule things that are out of the ordinary therefore when we have the urge to discuss topics that are not normally easily accepted in society we tend to keep them to ourselves because we will be treated with the prescribed redicule based on fear of the unknown or fear that in considering what you have to say they open themselves up to the same ridicule they were about to dish out to you. So we sit back and only discuss those things that are in our deepest thoughts when we see signs that someone is also open to the topic through small hints.

BUT here on ATS we have all come together in open acceptance of each other.
We freely discuss and debate things that people are afraid to speak openly about in the real world.

Personality wise we may be the same here as in Real Life, but intellectually we are probably all very different and more ourselves here than we are there.

I know I am.

reply to post by NephraTari

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There is good and bad in everything, if there is any inherent danger in the personal use of an online persona it may be the risk of a person losing some part of their true real life personality, to become someone else, to follow others, to accept that which they would otherwise not, to be controlled in real, yet unnoticeable ways.

I'm the same person (personality-wise) on here that I am in real life.

The only difference is that on these forums I allow myself to speak openly about odd occurences, or read about obscure things.

I don't hide the fact that I go to these boards but I don't talk specifically about what I read and believe or disbelieve.

But I'm a bit of a lightweight with conspiracies and the supernatural, I generally think most of it is false, I'm a skeptic. Not an arrogant/ignorant skeptic mind you, it's just that I never see good enough evidence for events X, Y or Z.

Nice topic

I think in real life I am more extreme than online.
I haven't posted much on ATS, but I did on European forums. In real life I say whatever comes to mind without thinking first. Although the positive part is that I am as honest as can be, the negative side is that people get hurt. And it's amazing how easily people get hurt when it comes to issues of faith.

Online I feel obliged (as a matter of fact I don't have a choice to think before I type. That's also why I like to be on forums: they help you organise your own thoughts and beliefs while learning from others as well.

I am not afraid to say what I think. Most people already think I am a bit excentric but I seem to get away with it.

In real life I even utter beliefs that are not mine just for the fun of discussing it. Like mind-exercises. I understand a lot, I want to learn from people. I want to solve the puzzle, because I believe every individual holds a piece of the truth, a piece of the puzzle. I believe in ufo's and aliens, but I believe we're also related to the aliens. And I believe that the aliens must be the gods our ancestors talked about. I believe in ghosts, I believe matter is an illusion. And at the same time I am prepared to believe the complete opposite as long as you provide me with the proper arguments.

My online personality comes closer to the actual person I am than my offline personality simply because being online helps me unfold my own chaotic thoughts and beliefs. And believe me although the above may sound psychotic, I actually function pretty good in normal life

Do *NOT* answer questions such as these. This isn't merely harmless curiosity. TPTB use such things as responses to these types of questions to gauge if you will be a real problem, or merely a problem "online". Don't answer questions like this.

If a person is a 'problem online' they are reaching far more people than they could otherwise 'in person', so it is the online persona that they would wish to 'kill'. If you let go a little of your fear of TPTB and acknowledge them for the insignificantly small group that they are, you would realise that by being our true selves, here, and being honest and unapologetic about it, is what will ultimately destroy TPTB. They are terrified of us. And rightly so.

Ok, fictional scenario for you. When they are arresting your neighbor, and raping his wife and daughters on the front lawn, are you going to shoot them, or blog about it on the internet? BTW, Don't answer that. Rhetorical question. You should never answer questions like that.

They are only "terrified of us" (i.e., internet-only protestors) BEFORE the plans actually commence. Once they are in full swing, they aren't really worried about the internet, because they will pull the necessary "plugs" to ensure that information never gets out of a given geographical area.

Paranoid? Perhaps. Perhaps even most likely paranoid. Still, it's what I would do if I were running the show (so to speak).

You're American I guess.

Rhetorical or not I will answer, I do not share your fears. I don't own a gun, therefore I wouldn't shoot him, but I do have a rather handy length of pick axe handle - teak no less - and I would wrap it round his head a few times while I waited for a few burly men to step in. Which this being Britain, they would.



Information is power, and never allow your protests to exist only in this space, be yourself, here and elsewhere, be heard. If the internet goes down, so be it, short wave radio will re-emerge or something will to fill the void. We need each other, more so than ever, and we need to trust in each other. No matter what they do to us, or try to do to us, we still possess the power to resist and it is up to the individual to realise the full potential of that power within themselves.



Paranoia is good, I indulge in it frequently, it is an instinct that should be listened to. But as Sapient beings we have the power not only to recognise danger but to distinguish the nature of that danger, and to overcome our desire for flight with one to fight.

reply to post by sir_chancealot

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If what you say is true, then why post anything at all in any form online?

If people never bother to answer questions like these because of paranoia like this, then perhaps 'they' have already won.

In a pursuit for answers and a search for knowledge questions must be asked, and hopefully answered, along with a healthy exchange of ideas, theories and information.

People, please do not feel inhibited... be open, be yourselves, be honest... always. If you have something to say, say it boldly and always with pride, the greatest contribution anyone can provide here or anywhere is their honest, truthful, uninhibited free expressions. Don't let 'them' take that away from you.

Don't let them control you.

yes - i can truthfully state that i am exactly the same person on ATS as i am everyhere else

BUT.....................you knew there would be a but , didnt you

the best way i can put it is that i do try to compartmentalise

i do not express the same views everywhere i go - that is NOT an admission that i express different views in real life , or other venues

just that i have never had a discussion of UFO`s on my wargames forum - and conversly i have never seen fit to talk about wargaming here

why - becaiuse i see them as seperate facets of my life

to illustrate the point that i hold the same views where ever i am - an annecdode of how on a climbing fourm , last year i managed to get a 7 day posting ban for being one of the ones who went " mental " and jumped feet first into a flame war about the falklands war and the status of the islands - it had started off being a perfectly civilized thread about iceclimbing in patagonia - if you are wondering how / why it started - but it got derailed - as threads do

and the views i expressed there - were identical to the views i express on ats threads when the issue arrises

but like i said - i do not start threads on the superioriy of tri-cams over hexcentrics on ATS

i have several different log in names - that i roughly use for similar forums - some are based on my real name - foor activities where i routinly meet other forum members - and such - others strictly anonymous - like ` ignorant ape ` - and only used on conspiracy boards

does that disjointed rambling answer the question ?

I do it all the time . . . sadly the people i try conversing with do not have open minds and the conversation ends abruptly because of ignorance.

I'd like to think so. I've gotten together with 2 people i've met on the internet and we were the people we had come to know.

I've answered it as honestly as it can be subjectively answered.

I do and my family is sick of hearing me. They seem to think that the subjects discussed on this forum are unimportant. I disagree.

absolutely, i have friends who are not the same people on the internet. I'd say that their online personalities are more genuine than their real life representations of themselves.

I think it is "ok" to have an "alter ego" if you are unable to express yourself in real life. But I think it's much better to just act as you are, all the time.

I only have one account. I wasn't even aware that you could have multiple accounts . . . it'd be pretty funny to find out that someone has been arguing with themselves on this forum.

reply to post by The_Alarmist2012

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Good idea for a thread. I am for the most part the same. All thow on ATS I am a little more forceful with my ideas. just a little.

I tell people all the time that my hobby has become discussing things on an internet conspiracy forum, and they simply are not interested. Sadly, it is hard to find an intelligent conversation out there in the real world, Heck, it is hard enough online.

Apparently online anonymity does provide a voice for those who would otherwise be silenced, at least in this case....

Mormons take gay union issue to the Internet

www.msnbc.msn.com...



[edit on 22-8-2008 by The_Alarmist2012]

i talk to people about conspiracies at work, much to surprise the conversations usually go well.

surprising also, i was talking to my family about some of the stuff on this site and they popped off right back with conspiracies i had never heard of, go figure

i guess im one of the lucky ones to have alot of other people including family to talk about this kinda stuff with.