are the online personalities of y.a. regulars true representations of themselves in the real world?

Question

i feel that i am honest in my answers, but i sense that many others are not. going beyond the attention seeking radicals it seems to me that many tend to sugar coat their responses. i find this behavior bizarre because the community is so vast, why not just say what you think?

is it a matter of people lying to themselves or political correctness gone overboard? or perhaps i'm just too cynical...

i realize one could argue i'm asking in the wrong category but this behavior seem more evident here. why is that?

lol...smoofus7! thank you for the chuckle.

lol...swift wings you need a swift kick.

Answer 1

Yes true representatives of themselves in the real world. Why not say what you really think is cuz if the answer is considered offensive or disliked in some way by a reader, you're likely to rack up many violations slapped by yahoo so people have to be careful not to be too plain and straightforward.

Answer 2

No. In my real life I never, ever get to so completely and lucidly get my point out.

I'm a lazy conversationalist. Smalltalk is my bane, and I'll "oh yea, really?' someone to death if they are just there to jabber.

I am trying to recondition my own pattern responses as far as reflexive thoughts/judgments on others. I can be a bit too reactionary, in real life. On the internet, I attempt to be as moderate as I can, in order to make this a habit, in my heart.

So, on the internet, I come off as far, far more intelligent, polite, balanced, and well informed. This isn't to say I lie. I don't. I do try to sort through the emotional mess of my off the cuff opinion, and arrive at the answer that lies beneath my initial response.

I'm trying to be more moderate, and less reactionary. Let's face it, reactionaries may make things happen quickly, but always sloppily, requiring a balancing force to reach 'rightness,' if ever. Aren't we all, in a way, still trying to integrate the ideas of justice, fairness, and equality that the French Revolution blew all over the world, which came out of the Renaissance, which came out of Greek revival, etc.?

Moderates, while taking the time to deliberate, usually find very simple, effective solutions that require the least pain for everyone. I'm trying to be one of those people.

Most of the folks that come off here like total nasty-makers, well, I bet that in real life, that aren't nearly that nasty.

I generally believe that on the internet, we are caricatures of a version of us. Not even us, but the us we wish we were. I'm certainly never above my own internet criticisms. I've got personal issues out the wazoo, but I know the difference between acting out my own dysfunction, and stopping to get out what is truly at the bottom of my heart.

Answer 3

I second ren completely.

to answer... my y/a personality represents me appropriately, I think. I strive to be honest and sincere in ALL aspects of my life, and I hope that is portrayed here. I do tend to be a little brash though, (or perhaps I am insecure in that I might come across brash), that being the reason I tend to keep things a little more pc online.
But, I should to mention that being polite and civil, aka "sugarcoating" is constructive in cyber-land. Since I don’t have the pleasure of person-to-person conversations with you fine ladies and gents, I want to insure that my opinions are not taken out of context.

Answer 4

I'm 100% the same on line as in real life. Game playing burns up too much energy for my tastes and it would be hard to remember which persona you were playing at any given site you frequent.

Some could say that what you call 'sugar coating responses' is just normal good manners. It's an art form to be able to get your point across without name calling and nasty put-downs. Anyone can be nasty but the point you're trying to get across just gets lost when you do that---no one listens---so why do it? That's my philosophy.

Answer 5

I'm honest with my answers, but I leave out some of the expletives because that would get reported.

I'm guessing that some of the extremists and trolls are not like this in real life. The internet is a safe place for them to be as ridiculous as possible. If they are like that in real life, that I can only guess that they're posting from prison.

Answer 6

well i'm am honest in my answers... i'm honest too in life but i'm not the same on here, 'cause i never b*tch at anyone... i sometimes do in real life.

plus, here i have the chance to study the question and the answer (that i feel is the most representative of myself) but in real life, i have problem explaining an answer (not ALWAYS but lots of times mostly with some people i don't really know)

Answer 7

I am true to my character, but like Kate, I am starting to worry about violations so I am beginning to post in riddles.

There is also a lot of chest thumping here from both sides. [GENERALLY] The extremists (of both sides) do not respect the equalists. I think they think we should pick a side. But IMO, the only reason anything is discussed civilly here is due (for the most part) to the equalists. There are good, respectful people here from all sides. But the few who are not taint the whole thing for everyone.

Answer 8

My friends who know I come here and read some of my Q&As have not said that I'm different but I think I'm more quick to say what I want. Unfortunately I'm also more quick to be hot tempered and flame someone online and I'm trying to not do that.

I think that my behaviour is different in here. I am very shy in real life and here I can say what I want and not have to put my brains on ice. I don't have to be shy here and I can talk to people who I respect as equal.

I think I want my online personality to be the best as I can be. We can act the way we want to online and we have a choice how we want to be so I want to be at least as good here in words as I am in person because both are real.

Answer 9

Speaking for myself, I answer very honestly to questions on YA. Therefore, I am probably more like my real self than I am in real life because in person I would be much more hesitant to say/admit certain things.

Answer 10

I always am honest when answering questions here. Otherwise, what's the point? I try to be more polite with my friends; I give advice only when asked & then I'm careful since I don't want to hurt their feelings.