Internet personas

[phorsenuf]

Why do people come off as something they aren't. You know the type. Been there done that on everything. Making them the center of attention and build themselves up?

I frequent many message boards (yes, I have no life) and it just astounds me. Some are just so more obvious than others and it seems each post gets further and further out there.

Please don't misunderstand me, I am not referring to anyone directly. Its just something I've been seeing more and more of all across the net.

Am I the only one that comes across this? If so maybe I need new places to frequent.

 

[lillygator]

I see it all the time! And the DIS is the board I frequent most!

 

[CathrynRose]

Why do people come off as something they aren't. You know the type. Been there done that on everything. Making them the center of attention and build themselves up?

I frequent many message boards (yes, I have no life) and it just astounds me. Some are just so more obvious than others and it seems each post gets further and further out there.

Please don't misunderstand me, I am not referring to anyone directly. Its just something I've been seeing more and more of all across the net.

Am I the only one that comes across this? If so maybe I need new places to frequent.

I guess my question would be - how do *you* (general you) know the person isnt the person they 'claim' to be?

Or really (ETA this) how do you know thats what the person's intentions are? Maybe theyre just talking along, and thats just the way youre percieving it?

You can really judge a person by their online persona - although many do try.

 

[NY Disney fan]

Why do people come off as something they aren't. You know the type. Been there done that on everything. Making them the center of attention and build themselves up?

I actually see this less on the DIS and more on other forums.

 

[Mayl]

Why do people come off as something they aren't. QUOTE]

Sorry but unless you know them in real life, how do you know this? I can understand if you know someone one way in real life and then see they post all different. But if you never knew them before, then they are what they are.

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

I've been to few sites where it was nice to just be anonymous and feel free to speak my mind unfettered by "not wanting to offend my friends". But I got bored with that pretty quick. There are very few sites I got to but I am pretty much an open book...here and there.

 

[phorsenuf]

I guess my question would be - how do *you* (general you) know the person isnt the person they 'claim' to be?

I guess I don't really but when you frequent various boards over a span of years and suddenly some posters life just get more and more out there it makes ya wonder.
I know you get a lot of grief here so please don't think I mean any of this towards you. I like ya!

 

[CathrynRose]

I know you get a lot of grief here so please don't think I mean any of this towards you. I like ya!

I didnt until you said that.

 

[phorsenuf]

Why do people come off as something they aren't. QUOTE]

Sorry but unless you know them in real life, how do you know this? I can understand if you know someone one way in real life and then see they post all different. But if you never knew them before, then they are what they are.

Yes but sometimes red flags go up. My bs meter is usually pretty good.

 

[phorsenuf]

I didnt until you said that.

You're a nut. And I mean that in a loving way!

 

[loco4dis]

Country singer Brad Paisley has this hilarious song called "Online" about this very subject. It's first verse goes like this:

I work down at the Pizza Pit
And I drive an old Hyundai
I still live with my mom and dad
I'm 5 foot 3 and overweight
I'm a scifi fanatic
A mild asthmatic
And I've never been to second base
But there's a whole ‘nother me
That you need to see
Go checkout MySpace

And the chorus has

"I’m so much cooler online
So much cooler online"

It's a great song, and pretty much hits the nail on the head of the online persona thing.

 

[3jsmommy]

I think I come across a lot nicer in real life, I do feel that I am true to myself on here & IRL but somehow IRL I don't come off as witchy as I sometimes read myself sounding on the Internet. Like IRL I am really easy going, but on some threads I know that doesn't come across, must be my charm & good looks that distract from the real me! (see what I mean )

BTW, There are a lot of people who seem to know it all & not just on the net but everywhere, I think the Internet just magnifies it!

 

[Doesney]

Just because I dated Brad Pitt and I am a decorated fighter pilot that has quadruplets named Marlene, Carlene, Darlene, and Bob doesn't make me a liar.

 

[KAMLEM]

Why do people come off as something they aren't. You know the type. Been there done that on everything. Making them the center of attention and build themselves up?

I don't know if it's necessarily that they are lying, but there are people who always seem to respond to others by one-upping them. I know people who do this irl, too, though so it may not be an on-line thing. I work with a woman who I avoid like the plague because anytime I would talk about something going on in my life, she had to compare it to something in her life. The last straw was when I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and she went on and on about having her tonsils removed and how the surgery was similar. WTH?

 

[rentayenta]

Just like in RL, people are insecure.

 

[Missy1961]

Just because I dated Brad Pitt and I am a decorated fighter pilot that has quadruplets named Marlene, Carlene, Darlene, and Bob doesn't make me a liar.

 

[Cup Cake]

Just because I dated Brad Pitt and I am a decorated fighter pilot that has quadruplets named Marlene, Carlene, Darlene, and Bob doesn't make me a liar.

Of course we don't think you're lying, that wouldn't be nice.

So, who's your baby daddy?

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I understand what you mean, but at the same time these types of conversations make me nervous. There are several things in my life that are a bit unusual, and I always worry that people will think I'm making it up, I'm not. That's just who I am. That's why I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. Now, if you try to sell me a bridge in Brooklyn, I might be suspicious.

 

[Doesney]

Of course we don't think you're lying, that wouldn't be nice.

So, who's your baby daddy?

I don't like to have babies and tell But since I am amongst friends let's just say it starts with a George and ends with a Clooney.

 

[Lureen]

Haven’t you heard the expression, “You can be anyone you want to be on the internet”?

Many people tell tale tales in real life. It’s no surprise that they do on the internet too. I guess you have to handle the internet liars the same way you handle real-life liar. That is, you avoid becoming close to them and you don’t believe much of what they tell you.

I personally don’t understand why somebody lying on a message board should matter much to anyone. Some people really seem to get their panties in a twist when they think they’ve uncovered a liar.

I don’t see what the big deal is. In fact, recently on another message board, I saw someone post a link to a blog they started to track what they perceive as lies by some poster on yet another board.

Which is more disturbing? Somebody embellishing the details of their lives on-line? Or somebody with way-too-much time on their hands starting a blog about said embellisher?

Personally, I think the blog creator has way more serious issues than the liar.