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Author Topic:   Anonymity
Bolder-dash
Member (Idle past 3630 days)
Posts: 983
From: China
Joined: 11-14-2009


Message 31 of 61 (691376)
02-22-2013 10:07 AM
Reply to: Message 30 by onifre
02-22-2013 9:59 AM


Then Oni, I want to ask you something.
Why are you so frightened to look at life without your fogged up glasses on?
(Its an inside joke, ask Huntard).

This message is a reply to:
 Message 30 by onifre, posted 02-22-2013 9:59 AM onifre has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 32 by onifre, posted 02-22-2013 10:12 AM Bolder-dash has replied

  
onifre
Member (Idle past 2951 days)
Posts: 4854
From: Dark Side of the Moon
Joined: 02-20-2008


Message 32 of 61 (691378)
02-22-2013 10:12 AM
Reply to: Message 31 by Bolder-dash
02-22-2013 10:07 AM


(Its an inside joke, ask Huntard).
Why don't you just clue me in? I have to wait for Huntard to see this then respond. I could be dead by then! WHAT DOES IT MEAN???
- Oni

This message is a reply to:
 Message 31 by Bolder-dash, posted 02-22-2013 10:07 AM Bolder-dash has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 35 by Bolder-dash, posted 02-22-2013 12:58 PM onifre has replied

  
ringo
Member (Idle past 412 days)
Posts: 20940
From: frozen wasteland
Joined: 03-23-2005


(1)
Message 33 of 61 (691396)
02-22-2013 10:56 AM
Reply to: Message 30 by onifre
02-22-2013 9:59 AM


onifre writes:
Don't you guys stand by what you say here?
No. The message stands or falls on its own.
onifre writes:
Is this not the "you" in real life that you guys are presenting here?
No. Like Rahvin, I'm a lot more circumspect in real life. My wisdom isn't appreciated there like it is here.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 30 by onifre, posted 02-22-2013 9:59 AM onifre has not replied

Replies to this message:
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Rahvin
Member
Posts: 4032
Joined: 07-01-2005
Member Rating: 9.2


(1)
Message 34 of 61 (691439)
02-22-2013 12:15 PM
Reply to: Message 30 by onifre
02-22-2013 9:59 AM


Don't you guys stand by what you say here? Is this not the "you" in real life that you guys are presenting here?
What's so abhorrent about the conversations had here that you'd be ashamed to express else where? I get Rahvin's feelings on it being an "out of the closet" atheist, but even then, you are who you are and I don't think hiding behind a mask is doing any good.
Maybe it's because I actually talk the way I do here in my real life interactions, or at least I have the freedom to say whatever I want. At first, though, when I started here, I just didn't want friends to see that I'm debating online and think I'm a nerd. I have some real assholes for friends that would mess with me to no end about debating online. But after a while I said fuck it. Most people know I do it now.
In most of my everyday life, I'm exactly who you see online.
The exceptions are the workplace and my family.
I'm all for being yourself - and it does pain me that I need to maintain a facade of Christianity with my family (work is less important - it's none of their business. But having had a bigot or two for bosses, and having heard plenty of horror stories, I prefer that no boss present or future can do an internet search on my name and find out things that are none of their business).
I have an elderly grandfather in ill health who just lost his wife, my grandmother. His faith is extremely important to him...as is the faith of his children and grandchildren. I see no reason to add to his pain and disrupt his healing by revealing a truth that he would find to be extremely disturbing. The deception is relatively easy to maintain, and it prevents a whole lot of drama that I don't want, for myself or my loved ones.
Eventually I'll probably come clean. Not until after my grandfather dies. And while this is no longer an issue or me, for younger atheists in the same position - I strongly recommend not "coming out" until you can tell your parents over a dinner that you paid for in your own house. Parents do disown children...I've even read claims of parents trying to send atheist children to mental institutions (which doesn't work but is still stressful).
I'm no longer dependent on my parents for anything...but they are sufficiently religious that I worry about being disowned. Since I live across the country, it's pretty easy to avoid church or anything else I would object to - I simply don't talk with them about religion. It's come up inadvertently maybe three times in the past decade.
"Hiding behind a mask" keeps my family happy and together, and I think that is a lot of good.

The human understanding when it has once adopted an opinion (either as being the received opinion or as being agreeable to itself) draws all things else to support and agree with it. - Francis Bacon
"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs." - John Rogers
A world that can be explained even with bad reasons is a familiar world. But, on the other hand, in a universe suddenly divested of illusions and lights, man feels an alien, a stranger. His exile is without remedy since he is deprived of the memory of a lost home or the hope of a promised land. This divorce between man and his life, the actor and his setting, is properly the feeling of absurdity. — Albert Camus
"...the pious hope that by combining numerous little turds of variously tainted data, one can obtain a valuable result; but in fact, the outcome is merely a larger than average pile of shit." - Barash, David 1995.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 30 by onifre, posted 02-22-2013 9:59 AM onifre has not replied

  
Bolder-dash
Member (Idle past 3630 days)
Posts: 983
From: China
Joined: 11-14-2009


Message 35 of 61 (691461)
02-22-2013 12:58 PM
Reply to: Message 32 by onifre
02-22-2013 10:12 AM


Ah, I see , you are afraid of death, that's it!
EvC Forum: The Origin of Novelty

This message is a reply to:
 Message 32 by onifre, posted 02-22-2013 10:12 AM onifre has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 37 by onifre, posted 02-23-2013 2:30 PM Bolder-dash has not replied

  
Phat
Member
Posts: 18262
From: Denver,Colorado USA
Joined: 12-30-2003
Member Rating: 1.1


(1)
Message 36 of 61 (691632)
02-23-2013 12:46 PM
Reply to: Message 33 by ringo
02-22-2013 10:56 AM


Is Anonimity Always Beneficial?
Ringo writes:
My wisdom isn't appreciated there like it is here.
In Real Estate, they often say "location, location, location.
In virtual internet reality, location is irrelevant. We are where we are at.
The mantra is "context, context, context."
1. The part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.
2. The circumstances in which an event occurs; a setting.
Circumstances can definitely determine viewer (customer,audience) response.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 33 by ringo, posted 02-22-2013 10:56 AM ringo has seen this message but not replied

  
onifre
Member (Idle past 2951 days)
Posts: 4854
From: Dark Side of the Moon
Joined: 02-20-2008


Message 37 of 61 (691645)
02-23-2013 2:30 PM
Reply to: Message 35 by Bolder-dash
02-22-2013 12:58 PM


Why did you link that? I'm not afraid of death, what are you talking about?
- Oni

This message is a reply to:
 Message 35 by Bolder-dash, posted 02-22-2013 12:58 PM Bolder-dash has not replied

  
Omnivorous
Member
Posts: 3978
From: Adirondackia
Joined: 07-21-2005
Member Rating: 7.3


(2)
Message 38 of 61 (691661)
02-23-2013 6:17 PM
Reply to: Message 21 by ringo
02-20-2013 11:34 AM


Re: Alter Egos
ringo writes:
Look at how we all felt about Buzsaw even though we were always fighting with him and we didn't know who he "really" was.
We may have known who he "really" was better than many of his meat-life friends.
I am more nakedly myself here--messy excesses and imprudent outbursts included--than I am in "really-land" except for when I am with intimate friends and family members.
I value anonymity on the web in part because some of my life is illegal.
So, sometimes, I only browse and post via wifi with a used machine purchased with cash and without records. Even the CIA or the NSA would probably fail to link me with that machine, because I maintain a cell discipline where I never log into any account connected to my identity (or other machines that are) in any way.
I treasure the anonymity I've created as keenly as the government wishes to eliminate it.
I speak so freely on that device it exhilirates me. I don't use it here.
The wealthy will always have access to anonymity, e.g., SuperPACs with no contributor reporting requirements. The power to speak without consequence exacted by State or society is a precious thing that is getting harder and harder to keep.
I worked as a newspaper editor for a while, and it galled me to abide by my publisher's policy of not publishing anonymous letters--even though government and industry sources were protected by "an administration insider" or "someone close to the investigation who requests anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss it." More often than not, misbehavior by the privileged was protected by that rule.
Edited by Omnivorous, : No reason given.

"If you can keep your head while those around you are losing theirs, you can collect a lot of heads."

This message is a reply to:
 Message 21 by ringo, posted 02-20-2013 11:34 AM ringo has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 39 by ringo, posted 02-25-2013 12:07 PM Omnivorous has seen this message but not replied

  
ringo
Member (Idle past 412 days)
Posts: 20940
From: frozen wasteland
Joined: 03-23-2005


Message 39 of 61 (691780)
02-25-2013 12:07 PM
Reply to: Message 38 by Omnivorous
02-23-2013 6:17 PM


Re: Alter Egos
Omnivorous writes:
We may have known who he "really" was better than many of his meat-life friends.
The same probably applies to me. This life may be more real than meat-life but meat-life is the one we're stuck with. We can't turn it off and on quite as easily.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 38 by Omnivorous, posted 02-23-2013 6:17 PM Omnivorous has seen this message but not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 40 by Stile, posted 02-25-2013 3:30 PM ringo has replied

  
Stile
Member
Posts: 4295
From: Ontario, Canada
Joined: 12-02-2004


Message 40 of 61 (691836)
02-25-2013 3:30 PM
Reply to: Message 39 by ringo
02-25-2013 12:07 PM


Re: Alter Egos
ringo writes:
The same probably applies to me. This life may be more real than meat-life but meat-life is the one we're stuck with. We can't turn it off and on quite as easily.
I agree.
The concept is interesting, though, in a navel-gazing sense.
Is the "unrestricted you" the real you? Or the "restricted you"?
Which one do you want to be you?
What if I explained it more like the "unrestricted you" being the basic, raw, animal-like one... but the "restricted you" was using more of your intelligence to filter your basic animal instincts.
In that sense... perhaps it's the "restricted you" that uses more of your intellect and the one you'd rather be associated with?
I don't mean anything by these questions.
And I certainly mean them more generally than ringo-specific...
...just some ramblings brought to you by the number 007 and Duke Nukem's sunglasses.
The extension of this line of reasoning, if anyone is buying it... would indicate that the presence of "anonymity" would simply require more intelligence in order to restrain one's animal instincts.
Or, in other words, it makes it easier for lazy people to be dicks simply because they do not feel the requirement to exercise their intelligence.
Oh, how dreadfully daunting it is.. to use intelligence in order to be polite
Edited by Stile, : Maybe all messages are editted, and this is how I signify one that was perfectly written. Yup, that was your mind being blown. Pick up the pieces, bitches.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 39 by ringo, posted 02-25-2013 12:07 PM ringo has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 44 by ringo, posted 02-27-2013 11:32 AM Stile has seen this message but not replied

  
Jon
Inactive Member


Message 41 of 61 (691861)
02-25-2013 8:15 PM


My name is Jon.

Love your enemies!

Replies to this message:
 Message 42 by Theodoric, posted 02-26-2013 8:33 AM Jon has not replied
 Message 43 by Straggler, posted 02-26-2013 8:45 AM Jon has not replied

  
Theodoric
Member
Posts: 9076
From: Northwest, WI, USA
Joined: 08-15-2005
Member Rating: 3.7


Message 42 of 61 (691893)
02-26-2013 8:33 AM
Reply to: Message 41 by Jon
02-25-2013 8:15 PM


My name is not Theodoric.
He is just a historical figure I find quite intriguing.
Anonymity is a safety net and a kind of armour for those of us that are not in the public eye already.
I certainly would have no problem if anyone here knew who I actually was. Like all forums, we start out here with an alias. Have never had a reason to not use an alias.
If you want to know who I really am, just ask.
Edited by Theodoric, : No reason given.
Edited by Theodoric, : fix link

Facts don't lie or have an agenda. Facts are just facts
"God did it" is not an argument. It is an excuse for intellectual laziness.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 41 by Jon, posted 02-25-2013 8:15 PM Jon has not replied

  
Straggler
Member
Posts: 10333
From: London England
Joined: 09-30-2006


Message 43 of 61 (691895)
02-26-2013 8:45 AM
Reply to: Message 41 by Jon
02-25-2013 8:15 PM


My Name Is....
Jon writes:
My name is Jon.
Which is still pretty darned anonymous really.....

This message is a reply to:
 Message 41 by Jon, posted 02-25-2013 8:15 PM Jon has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 46 by Dr Adequate, posted 02-27-2013 2:19 PM Straggler has replied

  
ringo
Member (Idle past 412 days)
Posts: 20940
From: frozen wasteland
Joined: 03-23-2005


Message 44 of 61 (692015)
02-27-2013 11:32 AM
Reply to: Message 40 by Stile
02-25-2013 3:30 PM


Re: Alter Egos
Stile writes:
What if I explained it more like the "unrestricted you" being the basic, raw, animal-like one... but the "restricted you" was using more of your intelligence to filter your basic animal instincts.
Another way of looking at it is that some people have known the "unrestricted me" for a long time. The "restricted me" has changed much less in the short-term, since I've been here, than the unrestricted me has changed in the long term.
Edited by ringo, : Speling.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 40 by Stile, posted 02-25-2013 3:30 PM Stile has seen this message but not replied

  
NoNukes
Inactive Member


Message 45 of 61 (692020)
02-27-2013 11:46 AM


Handles..
My real name is No Nukes.
Uh, maybe not.
I don't want every bit of nonsense I post here to turn up on google attached to my real name. I keep my real life online presence squeaky clean.

Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also in prison. Thoreau: Civil Disobedience (1846)
The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal and hasten the resurrection of the dead. William Lloyd Garrison.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. Frederick Douglass

  
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