Who are you online?

[Tigerblade]

I couldn't quite see this fitting perfectly into any of the subforums under real world IMs, so it went here.

This thought occurred to me this morning... who are you when you're online? Do you become a new person, a new entity, when you sign onto an IM network, a website, whatever? Are you still John or Jane Doe, or are you suddenly an entirely new individual in the digital world?

As for myself, whenever I'm online, I don't really feel like the carbon-based life form designated Tom that walks around in the three-dimensional real world beyond the computer. Online, I'm Tigerblade. As such, I don't necessarily have to adhere to the same rules that apply in reality. I can be bolder or more reserved, I can be funnier or more somber, I can be anything I want. I suppose this sort of goes along with the "have you said anything in an IM that you wouldnt say in real life?" topic, but it's slightly different.

So the question is... who are you online? Do you assume an alter ego (Clark Kent becomes Superman, etc) that seems completely different, or is your digital persona simply an extension of the physical you?

[MartinBradley]

When I'm online, I try to be like I really am. I try to convey the same emotions, same drives, same sense of humour, and the same morals.

To an extent, I try to type like I speak, dialect wise. I won't always type in Standard English, unless of course it is outside of an IM conversation, in which case Standard English will be used.

But generally, in order to not give off any false impressions of myself, I try and be myself.

[AwesomeSauce]

I seem like a pretty serious person online, though sometimes I can be a little silly when talking to one of my friends online. However, in person, I am more humorous (But I am still serious half the time, too).

I am pretty much myself online.

[Tigerblade]

I guess another question that I didn't really include in my first post was this: in real life, are you also your online identity? For instance, I know that on a few different occasions, someone has called out "Tigerblade!" and immediately I turned around, as naturally as if they'd called my given name.

[AwesomeSauce]

Originally Posted by Tigerblade

I know that on a few different occasions, someone has called out "Tigerblade!" and immediately I turned around, as naturally as if they'd called my given name.

Yeah, someone did that to me at school, and I did the same thing you did. I would rather not be called "AwesomeSauce" in person, however when somebody does call me that, of course I would know that they were referring to me so why would I ignore them?

[Aqeel]

My life is my message...

I try to be Aqeel always when I'm online, behave as I do in normal life, share my real emotions, share my real thoughts.

Originally Posted by Tigerblade
I know that on a few different occasions, someone has called out "Tigerblade!" and immediately I turned around, as naturally as if they'd called my given name.

This happen to me as my msn and yahoo id is shy_aqeel and nick is 'shy' that's why some of my friends call me shy and I do behave like that it's my real name.

[sarahtowny]

I think I am just the same on line, as off. My friends and family have read my threads on here, and say that is 'typical Sarah'. I met my friend Val on yahoo, and we talked for quite some time, then decided to meet. She and I both agreed we were just like we were on line, what is the point in trying to be someone your not, I don't see the point of that. But then I am happy just being me. :0)

[RabidKitten]

*snickers* Quite the question, there, Tom. Hmm...

Online, I know I seem like I'm a bit of a live wire, switched on then switched off, emotions kind of just everywhere for no real reason, flopping from post to post and really long winded. I can make a two page report on just about any subject, and at the same time, get the same idea across in a paragraph, even though I'm more likely to type out the two pages, just to make sure the idea is properly executed.

But, in honesty, I find that I'm more myself out of text than I am in. I'll say the same things...but it's not what is said...it's the timber of my voice, my expression at the time, my look, my tone, actions and if I laugh or sigh or shrug. That is why I try and convay that in a lot of my writting. Because while someone may have 'heard' me saying that last sentance ("it's the timber...") in a very dry, factual, cut forward way...in my head I was very soft, flowing, listless and very thoughtful about it, with small hand gestures and long pauses trying to find the words properly. I'm a strong believer in it's not what you say, it's how you say it that really conveys an idea.

Generally, other than that with me it's not a matter of "do I act differently online" as much as the fact that I just am different around different groups of folks. No, it's not a false thing, it's simply that I can always find a way to relate to a different group of people and blend in well and yet still be myself.

Example: If I were to ever meet up with a group from BBB, I would be just as grinning. loud, haphazard, laughing and longwinded as I am normally. But, just as how I'm never around certain forum sections, if the topic ever came up, I would shut up immediately and become more self-contained and introspective.

Now, when I'm with my drag queens, I am different, just because they respond different to things. I touch on different subjects, I'd talk more with my hands, probably even have different inflection in my voice, louder (yes it's possible), more flamboyant, touch them more, more random interruptions and one liners, and sweeter because to them, I am their hag, I'm their little Sami-pet (also because I'm also at least a head smaller than most of them). And while I give them plenty of guff and sarcasm and wit, it's different and usually with a girlish giggle or a sweet smile afterwards.

My opinions never change, what I say never changes, just the topic and -how- I would say it because...as we've heard...it's not what you say but how you say it. And while I can say something one way to you folks here and have it be alright, they might find it completely disrespectful or campy or they might not relate in the least, so to put a new spin on things is how I get the same message across.

*shrug* Just like the folks who read my posts here and then talk to me over IMs...or on the IRC channel could tell you. I am generally the same person, I just have a more focussed way of presentation depending on the person as opposed to making these broad, generalized, really unfocused, nobody in mind posts that really I'm sure only 10% of the people actually read all the way through because they're so long. *chuckles*

I don't know...to me it's just the idea of if your grandmother and your best same sex friend asked you the same question, would you answer exactly the same? I wouldn't just because they're different people that will react better/worse to certain things.


Heh...as to would I answer if someone ran down the street screaming "RabidKitten!" Probably not. I'd probably start looking around by my feet for a small ball of fur foaming at the mouth.
Now...I -have- been prone to answer to "Kitten" and a number of other names...and believe me, I have a vast cornucopia of nicknames. Sami-Sam, Sam-Boner, Sam-onilla, Samsonite, Sami-Monster, Sam-witch, Samicake, Sambola, Samikins, Sami Da Gay, Half-a-queer, Hetro-flexible, Pocket Sami version 2.0...being the most interesting, but unfortunately none of those are handles of mine *chuckles* The only handles I've been called outloud are "Miss Dragon" "Vaia" and "The Chosen Cat", and that's only because my roomate likes to pick on my messenger names (AIM being misdragon1, Msn being Vaia_nyera and yahoo being vaia's english translation, thechosencat).

[Aqeel]

Sami I think your emotions are triggered too much by this thread :-) I'm in a hurry so I'll read that all later on.

[BShink21]

I try to be the same online as i am in person but, i think i am a little more serious online then i am in real life. I find myself to express myself more in real life then online.