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Which is the real you?

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:01pm
by Shinova
The you (personality) that goes through real life, or the you that surfs this message board?



As for me, I think the real you is the one who surfs this and perhaps other message boards. My reason? Unlike real life, in message boards you don't have to worry about how you look, what kind of social status you have, whether you'll stutter, etc. All you have are your name and yourself. Since there are no social and real-life pressures, your real personality can show without any of these social constraints attached to it.

That's my opinion. What's yours?

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:04pm
by Kuja
Hmmm...dunno. Iggy's pretty close to the real me. I'd say that the only difference is that I'm a bigger loudmouth on the board. :twisted:

Re: Which is the real you?

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:04pm
by Ted
Shinova wrote:The you (personality) that goes through real life, or the you that surfs this message board?

As for me, I think the real you is the one who surfs this and perhaps other message boards. My reason? Unlike real life, in message boards you don't have to worry about how you look, what kind of social status you have, whether you'll stutter, etc. All you have are your name and yourself. Since there are no social and real-life pressures, your real personality can show without any of these social constraints attached to it.

That's my opinion. What's yours?
That rings true I think.

You can be who you truly are on a board, as it's complete anonymity, but also, you can be whoever you want to be.

But whoever you want to be will most likely be argued by psychologists that that is who you truly are.

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:05pm
by Darth Wong
There's no difference. If you were to ask my co-workers or my wife, they all know that I wear my heart on my sleeve. My co-workers like to sarcastically complain that it's hard to get a definitive opinion out of me :)

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:05pm
by Evil Sadistic Bastard
I'll have to speak from personal experience, because I haven't had anybody else's.

I guess I'm pretty much me on this board. IRL I am something like Down's Syndrome kid, because I've got a heinous stuttering problem I look like a dork and my hair is like CHewbacca's left buttock.

But otherwise, my real me is pretty much the same as the ESB on SD.Net. I lust after women, I like music, anime, tanks and mecha (all at once thank you very much), I like making dumb quips, I prefer not to piss people off (or take sides) etc.

Ah hell. Just my two cents.

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:06pm
by Ghost Rider
No real difference other than I can't post all my facial expressions persay.

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:07pm
by Mr Bean
Ahh but where does one draw the line between Reality and Perception?

The faces I wear, the roles I play...they are as much a part of who I am as anything else I do, For does not the person who puts his face foward as it were for the world to see tell us somthing compared to the one who hides cloaked in mystery, a trail of dummy idenities and false persona's the only thing to mark his passing?


As that old line goes

I am that is but will never be, or prehaps always was

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:09pm
by Sardaukar
I more or less agree, however, while the 'internet you' is less restricted by social status, there is often more pressure placed on trying to spell correctly and sound intelligent.
I think though, that I am the same online as offline, a cool space nerd :D

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:13pm
by Evil Sadistic Bastard
Sardaukar wrote:I more or less agree, however, while the 'internet you' is less restricted by social status, there is often more pressure placed on trying to spell correctly and sound intelligent.
I think though, that I am the same online as offline, a cool space nerd :D
You realize how oxymoronic that sounds, right? :)

Though I hope everyone's similar to their OL personalities - I wouldn't mind meeting you guys IRL.

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:20pm
by Singular Quartet
A most intresting question... I wouldn't know... I mean, who's "the real you." How does one tell?

Why does he always get to post?
Easy, he's more sociable than me, nowhere near as violent as you.
reason #1.
I suppose.


Stupid voices.

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:20pm
by Sea Skimmer
Depends on how open a person you are in real life, though real life always has an advantage.

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:23pm
by Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi
The person I am here is a lot like the me in real life: Unable to take criticism, and lacking in self-esteem. Some escape from reality there, isn't it?

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:24pm
by Ghost Rider
No....that's why we play Games :D

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:29pm
by Shinova
Additional note:


Faking personalities happens both in real life and online. One can pretend to be someone that person isn't in both places.

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:40pm
by CmdrWilkens
Neither,

What you see here and what you see in real life in neither case do you see my true personality. I tend to keep things hidden and it takes a lot of trust before I'll reveal things to others so while I may leave hints or expose some thigs I tend to reserve the real me for those who I've known for a long time personally.

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:45pm
by Enforcer Talen
I tend to be equally open irl and online, but quieter on this site. on other sites, more based on my strengths (writing, for example) I am rather different.

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:47pm
by Faram
Well there is quite a difference

Here I try to be calm and rationale.

In RL I am an recovering alcoholic and quite a bastard that have fouled up a load of relationships but fortunaly no kids ...

Note this is not a pity me cry for help or anything I am recovering and have a very good job so far.

Posted: 2002-11-28 09:52pm
by data_link
The me that posts here is definitely the real me... my RW self is just a drone that is programmed to do whatever it can to keep people off my back as much as possible. More than just supressing my opinions, my RW self requires to supress thought even in the subjects that interest me... because there is no one who cares enough to take them seriously. Everyone just wants me to follow their rules ad play their stupid games... even the kids at my school are no help because they have their own lives to deal with. Everything is about the game... I'm sick and tired of the game damnit. I'm sick and tired of being the child, the person who isn't allowed to control their own life, the person with no merit, the student, the rebellious teenager. I'm sick and tired of pepole telling me how worthless I am, that my intelligence means nothing, that my status as a minor is more important than my merits as an individual. Why can't people treat me AS AN EQUAL DAMNIT? But here... I'm just another person. People respect me. People care about me. I am who I am, and not someone defined by society's expectations. Here... I am free.

Posted: 2002-11-28 10:00pm
by neoolong
Both are the real me. The only difference is how much I express what I am feeling. And the really bad jokes. While I express a lot of stuff here that I feel, like calling some people idiots, I don't in the real world. But I still feel it.

Oh though I don't talk about sex nearly as much in the real world as in here. :twisted:

Posted: 2002-11-28 10:02pm
by data_link
neoolong wrote:Both are the real me. The only difference is how much I express what I am feeling. And the really bad jokes. While I express a lot of stuff here that I feel, like calling some people idiots, I don't in the real world. But I still feel it.

Oh though I don't talk about sex nearly as much in the real world as in here. :twisted:
Of course. In the real world you aren't talking, you're doing.... :twisted:

Posted: 2002-11-28 10:04pm
by aerius
I'm more coherent writing stuff than I am when speaking, I think that's about it. Oh yes, unfortunately I still can't reach out and smack people for their stupidity here like I can in real life. I am convinced though that technology will eventually progress to the point where I can whack people over an internet link.

Posted: 2002-11-28 10:54pm
by Frank Hipper
Other than being a chickenshit closet case IRL, what you see is basically what you get, down to my avatar, it's a tattoo on my right calf.

Posted: 2002-11-28 11:09pm
by Raptor 597
I'm the real me here. I'm mostly the same, though I have too wear my 'Christain' shield, IRL.

Posted: 2002-11-28 11:17pm
by haas mark
I make no distinction between the "real me" and the one that surfs the message board.

Re: Which is the real you?

Posted: 2002-11-28 11:49pm
by GrandMasterTerwynn
Shinova wrote:The you (personality) that goes through real life, or the you that surfs this message board?



As for me, I think the real you is the one who surfs this and perhaps other message boards. My reason? Unlike real life, in message boards you don't have to worry about how you look, what kind of social status you have, whether you'll stutter, etc. All you have are your name and yourself. Since there are no social and real-life pressures, your real personality can show without any of these social constraints attached to it.

That's my opinion. What's yours?
The truth? I'm the same opinionated, long-winded, absent-minded sonofagun offline as I am online. So really, both.