Reality Check

Click on all those that apply to you...

  • You Don't Know Me (dissociative anonymity)

    Votes: 5 38.5%
  • You Can't See Me (invisibility)

    Votes: 7 53.8%
  • See You Later (asynchronicity)

    Votes: 3 23.1%
  • It's All in My Head (solipsistic introjection)

    Votes: 3 23.1%
  • It's Just a Game (dissociative imagination)

    Votes: 5 38.5%
  • We're Equals (minimizing authority)

    Votes: 9 69.2%
  • I am a Spambot (emotive denial)

    Votes: 2 15.4%

  • Total voters
    13
  • Poll closed .

bulldogg

Milforum's Bouncer
Read this introduction...

It's well known that people say and do things in cyberspace that they wouldn't ordinarily say or do in the face-to-face world. They loosen up, feel more uninhibited, express themselves more openly. Researchers call this the "disinhibition effect." It's a double-edged sword. Sometimes people share very personal things about themselves. They reveal secret emotions, fears, wishes. Or they show unusual acts of kindness and generosity. We may call this benign disinhibition.

On the other hand, the disinhibition effect may not be so benign. Out spills rude language and harsh criticisms, anger, hatred, even threats. Or people explore the dark underworld of the internet, places of pornography and violence, places they would never visit in the real world. We might call this toxic disinhibition.

On the benign side, the disinhibition indicates an attempt to understand and explore oneself, to work through problems and find new ways of being. And sometimes, in toxic disinhibition, it is simply a blind catharsis, an acting out of unsavory needs and wishes without any personal growth at all.

What causes this online disinhibition? What is it about cyberspace that loosens the psychological barriers that block the release of these inner feelings and needs? Several factors are at play. For some people, one or two of them produces the lion's share of the disinhibition effect. In most cases, though, these factors interact with each other, supplement each other, resulting in a more complex, amplified effect.

http://www-usr.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/disinhibit.html#anonymity

Now follow the link to the descriptions of the various "effects" the internet has on people and then click on those that apply to you. This should be interesting if people are honest.
 
You Don't Know Me - This doesn't apply to me at all because I know anyone with half a brain can find out my real identity, and I don't care. I say what I mean and mean what I say, and if people don't like it, I don't care. You get one life to live, that's not enough time to worry about annoying people with opposing worldviews.

You Can't See Me - This definitely applies, it's nice to enter a conversation without preconceptions and judgments based on appearance.

See You Later - You have much more time to think out (or not think out) your responses to a message left on the forums than to a verbal question asked face to face. You can even find new sources to back yourself up!

It's All in My Head - Absolutely not. You folks ARE real... right?

It's Just a Game - This doesn't apply for the same reason You Don't Know Me doesn't. It's easy to learn one's true identity over the internet, unless you're posting at a library or something.

We're Equals - This applies to me, because I feel the same way in real life. Your station in life doesn't matter to me, we're all human. If I hold my tongue in front of an authority figure, it's for no other reason than to save myself time.

True Self - You bet. The me that strangers see is a fabrication meant only to move things along and get me through the day. I have true conversations with the people I've known for a while in real life. I know as a fact I seem more aggressive online simply from going back and rereading my posts. Don't tell anyone, but in real life I'm a big softy. The only time I really get mad is if you threaten or steal from me or my friends/family. Verbal insults are just talk.
 
I just try to reflect my real-time thoughts, opinions, attitudes and experiences. Its a great exchange of views. I argue with the television in the same way, and my family and friends know me as the same guy as the one here. I write to my local newspaper in the same manner, and I express myself similiarly in poetry.

After all, I am the world's greatest authority on my own opinions!
 
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Nice to see some responses. I know what I think I see in others posts but just wondering how aware people are of the changes this electric monster can have.
 
Ill just post the ones that apply to me

We're Equals (minimizing authority) - For sure. Im a fan of face-to-face debate but all to often my ideas get marganalized by others for various reasons that often have nothing to do with whether my argument is valid or not. The internet enables us to approach the debate on a fact by fact basis only.

True Self? - Id say yes to an extent. Im very slightly diffrent on the internet then I am in real life.
 
All cyberspace did was replace pen and paper. Most people could have long term relationships by writing letters and would write things they could never express with words. Pen pals could last for years and never meet but get to know someone's deepest feelings and secrets. Most people would never quote poetry to someone but write it without compunction.

I think disassociation is not what we're trying to achieve but an equality that people who differ in personalities such as quick thinkers and those who have to ponder awhile before answering can communicate on a more even scale. The playing field is levelled and more people can become involved in discussions. That's why people are more open about themselves when online, they're more at ease.
 
But I'd add Missileer that there is a disassociation between saying something and the consequences when online that differs from real world communication. There are members on the internet who if placed face to face would not say what they do online to each other.
 
It'd be back to the wild west - 'smile when you say that'! I could always handle that - they'd have to catch me first, and i was very fast.
 
But I'd add Missileer that there is a disassociation between saying something and the consequences when online that differs from real world communication. There are members on the internet who if placed face to face would not say what they do online to each other.

Then, it's a character issue. Sort of like a drunk who would take an a** whipping drunk but fear it while sober. A lot of people use disassociation as a crutch, the kind that scream an obscenity at someone and then run. We used to call them cowards.
 
Or maybe this is where we go when we pop our clogs. But the emails operate in light years . A bit slow, that.
 
^^^ Glad Pak is a nice addition to the tinfoil.

I say we're all equal and I feel fine.
 
I can't discuss my tinfoil uses.. ... it's not safe to speak of such things without wearing my silver cap. :shock:

With that being said..... I'm pretty much the same off the computer as I am on it. The only difference is.....in person I'm a little more quieter just because I prefer to listen to people make idiots out of themselves, rather then be one of them. Must more enjoyable for me that way :D
 
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