grumpyAnonymous blogonymous - a crapological analysis.
February 20th 2008 22:15
A new day begins in Oldina. Hmmm...
There is just too great a dichotomy between the outside and the inside some days. I don't just mean between outside world and the space in my office and home, but my own outside and inside as well. Look at the picture - my greeting for the day as I opened the gate to the barn. Compare that to what I find when I come here on the computer: nature's splendour on the one hand; pointless, self indulgent human crap on the other. The fact that anything I post here is also self indulgent human crap only makes it worse.
While I'm on the subject, there is one thing I do find odd on a medium supposedly devoted to sharing "information", and that is the culture of anonymity. Why is everyone so frightened of allowing anyone else to know who they are? You cannot be anonymous in the real world, why try to be in the virtual world? Is it because revealing your true self would deflate the bubble of virtual self importance sites such as this engender in the otherwise ordinary lives of those who post here?
Are we that dependant on virtual recognition? Are our lives so meaningless and empty that they can only be validated through an inflated and ficticious persona which exists only between the keyboard and our reflection within an inneffective and disconnected virtual reality?
Have nice day.
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Comment by Sylvie
Comment by grumpy
Psyche Science
Grumpys Blog
Photography Craft
As for stalkers, that guy walking down the street opposite is far more likely to end up sitting on your chest one night with the bread knife in his hand than anyone you meet on the web.
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
With all due respect I wish to disagree on your assessment of the anonymous persona that people use for the Blogs. A rose by any other name would smell just a sweet or like crap. Also as Orwell put it: Authors use pseudonyms incase of career disasters. Change your name and start again. The tainted reputation is with the old persona (insert evil laugh here).
Privacy? The Internet is home to all sorts of delightful people from cults to sexual predators. You cannot expect every one to be in a safe position if they give out their real name, location and clues to their home address. Do you really want an angry Nazi showing up to your nieces front door?
The sea of dishonesty exists in the real world as much as it does in the Noddy Land and Cultural Chewing Gum of the Internet. Will either of those change because I take my bat and ball then go home? Hardly. Yet what will change is my contribution (just like the real world).
Yet like all things of human musings, if it is not fun the you can stop doing it. The choice, reasoning and issues are your own but certainly not those of anyone else.
Comment by Sylvie
Comment by Sven Topp
Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
Budget Flicks
Posting with your real name etc on the web is up to you (why the pseudonym if so against it?). However, you really need to compare apples to apples.
Displaying your real name here etc is similar to walking around with a sticker on your forehead proclaiming your name, address and phone number (or even just your name).
Do you kike everyone you walk past on the street to know who you are specifically? (I doubt it).
You say it creates a sea of lies. I partly agree and disagree. There's a sea of lies out there in the real world too. Lots of people wear proverbial masks etc. On the other hand when their name is not relevant it often has the effect of setting the real "them" free and removing the masks. An opinion is still an opinion (neither lie nor truth) whether it has a name on it or not.
I've counselled some on line. A lot of people find it far easier to tell stuff to a complete stranger who they'll never ever meet and do it honestly too.
So I think there are two sides....
Comment by Luke
Book Club
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior
Comment by Fingertip Titans Unite
Idiots Among Us
Fingertip Titans
Comment by grumpy
Psyche Science
Grumpys Blog
Photography Craft
Sven, yes there are two sides, but I think the psychological side I pursued was to some degree - if not totally- ignored here. Which I suppose is only to be expected.
Luke, thanks for your openess.
Susan, I think it all depends on where you are prepared to place yourself. If you seek danger, even unwittingly, you will find it. Creeps abound, but they aren't likely to cavort openly in the brightly lit places of the world.
Be that all as it may, the real problem here is to do with authority, the willingness to show the grounding of our ideas and opinions in our own history of life. Ex cathedra pronouncements from pseudonymous posters might be roses, but a discriminating reader wants to see the stem, the bush and how well it is planted in the soil. They can purchase cut flowers anywhere...
Thanks for your input everyone. Next week....