Hidden personalities: We wear the mask

[venomai]

I find this topic interesting, I'd like to keep it going...

 

 

 

I'd like to ask people what they're afraid of showing people in real life that they are able to show online?

 

 

 

How do you think you can over come it?

 

For one, I tend to avoid topics of psychedelics and drug laws/freedoms in real life conversations. This isn't because I'm afraid of speaking about it, but rather because I'm afraid of the consequences. Society, as we all know, looks down on users of any sort of illicit mind-altering drug as if they are the mentally insane. Students would label me as a nutcase or an addict. If I was openly promoting responsible LSD use and drug law reforms, the school wouldn't hesitate to kick me out. Parents of other students wouldn't expect anything less.

 

 

 

It's really difficult to voice my opinions about drugs in real life as most people tend to be extremely ignorant about drugs and their effects.

 

 

 

On the forums, I can speak without interruption and provide sources to support my claims.

[yomom1919]

For one, I tend to avoid topics of psychedelics and drug laws/freedoms in real life conversations. This isn't because I'm afraid of speaking about it, but rather because I'm afraid of the consequences. Society, as we all know, looks down on users of any sort of illicit mind-altering drug as if they are the mentally insane. Students would label me as a nutcase or an addict. If I was openly promoting responsible LSD use and drug law reforms, the school wouldn't hesitate to kick me out. Parents of other students wouldn't expect anything less.

 

 

 

It's really difficult to voice my opinions about drugs in real life as most people tend to be extremely ignorant about drugs and their effects.

 

 

 

Ha, thats funny, because in my school its the opposite. A large student population does drugs, and mostly everybody supports the legalization of pot. One of our English teachers was [and still is] a hardcore Grateful Dead fan and hippie. A bunch of kids ask teachers what they think about legalization of marijuana [and other drugs], and they usually have no comment and won't pursue a random drug test. The other day, our history teacher told us that the only reason marijuana was outlawed was because tobacco companies were getting competition because people started to smoke pot, and they lobbied congress to outlaw it. [i don't know how true that is, but it shows his stance on the matter.] The other day, some kid was blatantly high during school [he smokes in the bathroom before school], and he just told the principal that he took too many sleeping pills, and he didn't get kicked out, or even drug tested. One of my teachers asked me to roll a detention slip some kid had into a joint for him, and then he pretended to smoke it.

 

 

 

It's important to note though, our school isn't some crap public school where everybody knows nothing. We're actually one of the best private schools in the state, and we get good grades and have good sports programs, etc. We don't have any [maybe 1 time a year] fights either.

[mcneilp]

I mainly picture people as their avatars. :lol:

 

 

 

:shock:

 

Typing is hard with paws....

 

 

 

Nah really, i act ingame/online how i would act in real life, i see no point in not doing so.

[venomai]

Ha, thats funny, because in my school its the opposite. A large student population does drugs, and mostly everybody supports the legalization of pot. One of our English teachers was [and still is] a hardcore Grateful Dead fan and hippie. A bunch of kids ask teachers what they think about legalization of marijuana [and other drugs], and they usually have no comment and won't pursue a random drug test. The other day, our history teacher told us that the only reason marijuana was outlawed was because tobacco companies were getting competition because people started to smoke pot, and they lobbied congress to outlaw it. [i don't know how true that is, but it shows his stance on the matter.] The other day, some kid was blatantly high during school [he smokes in the bathroom before school], and he just told the principal that he took too many sleeping pills, and he didn't get kicked out, or even drug tested. One of my teachers asked me to roll a detention slip some kid had into a joint for him, and then he pretended to smoke it.

 

 

 

It's important to note though, our school isn't some crap public school where everybody knows nothing. We're actually one of the best private schools in the state, and we get good grades and have good sports programs, etc. We don't have any [maybe 1 time a year] fights either.

 

I'm not talking about marijuana. ;) I mean LSD, mescaline, magic mushrooms, DMT, etc.

 

 

 

Slanted discussions on marijuana, alcohol and nicotine are relatively commonplace in my school as well, and punishment is little to none for supporting (or even using) such substances. My school is more strict about cell phone use than cigarette use.

[Nom]

I still stand by my earlier statement that it's difficult to conceal your true personality online. Even if you went back and edited your post mutliple times, buffing it up and fixing grammar mistakes, there's still going to be that little flair that will distinguish you from others. For one, your opinions are invaluable when determining the type of person you are, and as others have stated you are going to be much more confident voicing your opinion to a crowd of anonymous users than to a group of people in the real world where doing so can have consequences.

 

 

 

And then there's simply the style of posting. Maybe it's juts me, being particularly receptive to interpreting the written word, but certain idioms of speech and small quirks and simply stylistic choice will often shape your internet personality after the one that you hold in real life, and you can't really stop it. I, for example, always keep a level of informality in what I post no matter what it is about. I like to be eloquent and have a thought-out post, but I'm not going to be sounding like a university professor.

 

 

 

If your grammar sucks, you are either young or don't care about it. If you respond to a particular post with a "Lol," we have a glimpse of your sense of humor. If you ignore certain topics but post in others, we have an idea of what you are interested in and what you are not, and what your opinions are on the topics that interest you. If you have a neat signature that you made yourself, we can assume you are into art or design. If you post nothing but one-liners and other jokes that contain little constructive content, you are a joker who would rather not get into serious mode. The list goes on.

 

 

 

And it all comes back to the idea that online, anon protects you and you can be more open and expressive. So I would say that although we may not see exactly how you are in real life - simply because the world demands more of a particular demeanor and conformity in different situations - we certainly can get a good idea of your true personality. Attempting to conceal it is far too much work and frankly pointless.

 

 

 

Yes, Reb, you weren't far from what I expected :P

[yomom1919]

I'm not talking about marijuana. ;) I mean LSD, mescaline, magic mushrooms, DMT, etc.

 

 

 

Oh then in that case, yeah, my school is the same as yours :|

[mrpez]

Yomom1919, you really have a lax school. :shock:

 

 

 

If that happened in my school they would have made a big deal, put the school on lock down, then suspend the kid for a month and send him to rehab.

[anarchyxarmy]

I'm more outgoing in real life, just cause I am. It might be that in real life nobody takes me seriously, but here nobody knows my personality so the don't really know when I'm messing around, but I guess my friends don't either half the times :XD: I guess in real life I'm super-awesome but on forums I'm just laid back and serious as much as I can.

 

 

 

Also I seem to be more philosophical on forums then in real life, again back to the personality thing... :|