Avatars

[Melmoth]

I was reading through the age discrimination topic and people started talking about how online personas compare to RL ones. Since the way identity interacts with global communication has always interested me (trolling was actually the subject of my dissertation piece) this got me curious.

Would you say that the way you behave on this forum is an accurate reflection of 'the real you'?

And I don't mean in literal ways like age, race and other labels; I mean in more subjective ways like how polite you are, how easygoing, how dominant, how submissive, how kind etc.

I don't think Melmoth is like me at all, by the way. This isn't a conscious attempt to deceive people. When I write him, I occupy a very particular mindset, which I don't need to be in normally. So he might represent a very thin sliver of me, greatly distorted by the prism of social 'culture' it needs to adapt to here at Happyatheist, but I don't think it could give you any real idea of what I'm like off the computer.

[Norbie]

Interesting thought... I certainly think on-line groups are susceptible to all sorts of personality types to be manipulative if they want to be, but just like Real folks, I think the real answer will be just as varied as meeting people in person.  One thing I like about this group is that you require the 50 posts for a new member to settle in before turning themselves loose on the group.  I think the Avatars people choose can be alter-egos of a sort (which is why I like the thread on here about why people chose their avatars).  For me, my "on-line Kim" tends to be a person who cuts through normal barriers quicker and gets straight to the heart.

But my husband wryly pointed out moments ago that my avatar is a raccoon, an animal who people normally perceive as hiding behind a mask!  Ah~ who am I??!! 

Peace, Kim

[Melmoth]

Yeah, I liked the 50 posts thing when I joined. It forced me to understand people a little more before going for their jugular in a debate, which probably kept me out of some trouble... I can be very rash. Brilliant idea. Never seen it done anywhere else.

[Tank]

An interesting question. I am generally pretty similar on-line to off-line. Where I differ is that I will be much more annoyed on-line with people than off-line. I'm also a much better judge of character off-line than on-line. I put these issues down to the vastly reduced communication 'bandwidth' that one has on-line. One loses all the visible and audible clues when relying only on the written word. In addition one is using writing as one would talk and in that sense one can be more ambiguous that if one is writing a carefully constructed essay or letter.

[Tank]

Yeah, I liked the 50 posts thing when I joined. It forced me to understand people a little more before going for their jugular in a debate, which probably kept me out of some trouble... I can be very rash. Brilliant idea. Never seen it done anywhere else.

It is a very good idea that Whitney introduced a few months ago. One intent was to stop the hit-and-run types that splurge in the religion section and then bugger off, never to be heard from again. It's pretty much stopped that happening.

[DaveD]

I react badly to rudeness in others, but unfortunately that brings out the rudeness in me.
I tend to be more brusque on forums than either in real life or in other on-line situations, though I do try actually not to be cruel, even inadvertently.

[Byronazriel]

I'm a good deal more assertive, and coherent here than in real life.  This mostly has to do with the fact that I can express myself better in writing, and my various social issues.

Not only that, but the rules for online interactions are a lot more intuitive than rl ones. I also get as much time as I want/need to formulate my thoughts and put it into words.

[Whitney]

I think the only difference is that in real life my being shy is obvious...but it's only when I first meet people and is especially evident if the other person is also shy.  This is also something I've been working on correcting so it is becoming less and less of a difference.

I would also have more issues having to ban and enforce rules on people in real life...but that's mainly due to the extra issues surrounding trying to make a person physically comply as opposed to just not giving them access to a forum.

Anyone who has actually met me could point out if there are any other differences.

Posting under my real name doesn't exactly provide me with an alias persona to potentially hide behind anyway.

[Will]

I'm the same person on HAF as I am IRL. That's a big part of why I changed my username from a handle to my real first name and changed my avatar to a picture of me, to remind me to be myself. It's more rewarding, once you've found a community you feel comfortable in, to be yourself.

[Asmodean]

I'm pretty much the same. Maybe a tiny bit nicer here than in real life...

[KDbeads]

I have to tone me down online..... I'm a fairly hyper, upbeat, positive, morning person type.  I've found that annoys a few too many people.  Also gives the impression that I'm dumb as a box of rocks for some reason.  

And I'm a very blunt person, this too annoys people.

[Heretical Rants]

I think that the person I am online is closer to the real me than the person I show most people in the real world, those dear to me excepted.

[hismikeness]

I tend to not "chime in" as much on this forum, as usually one or several people say what I am thinking better than I would have. In real life, I don't come across people with that skillset very often (especially not in my line of work) so I tend to talk more, if for no other reason than to "set somebody straight."

BTW, This Marquee feature is pretty cool.

[Norbie]

My husband joined another on-line atheist group at the same time I started visiting here.  We wanted to join separate groups to keep our identities stronger.  So I have had the recent experience of reading his posts as I am here communicating with the "real" Eddy.  It sort of surprised me.  He's definitely himself on his forum; but it's like he is way more compact since he's making an effort to choose his words more carefully so he doesn't go on and on like me.  I've realized I sort of write like I speak... Sorry!

Queen of the run-on sentences,

Kim

PS.  I've also finally realized what it means to fight over the remote.  We don't have a live TV, so we are never in that position... but now we have two people on two separate forums.  Now I need a dastardly plan to hog the keyboard and mouse!

[TeresaBenedicta]

I've obviously not posted much here, but I am no stranger to online forums...  That being said, in general, I am calmer online than I am in person.  I take more time when responding.  I am able to think through my arguments and present them in a more coherent way since online forums do not require immediate reactions.  I try to be authentic, though.