Re: Food for Thought when posting to newsgroups

To me internet communication is not real because the relative anonymity of
the screen elicits behavior that you simply cannot afford in real life. You
can hide behind a persona (a mask) or behind a fake name. You can be an
asshole without experiencing the sanctions you'd invariably suffer in real
life.

#####




"tomw" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> schreef in bericht
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] says...
> >   > Oh well, google groups is a mixed blessing.
> >
> > It is. It's not even real. It's virtually real. So it's a kind of
separate
> > reality at best. What we see here of each other is just a shadow or
glimpse.
> > Sometimes even a fancy. We exist as letters on a screen. What do we
really
> > know about each other? How do I know for sure it's the real Bob, Max,
Clif
> > or Joey that I see here and not just a persona?
> >
> > Internet life is not real life. I'm sure lots of is charade, not to be
taken
> > too seriously.
> >
> > I think the internet is suitable medium to discuss facts but not that
> > effective a tool to judge people.
> >
> > #####
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> IMHO It's a real. Some of it real dumb.  I think that over time you get
> a pretty good sense of a poster's integrity and character.  I'm
> surprised to hear that people feel so vulnerable that their writings are
> available in an archive. What did you expect, dudes? You put it out
> there for the world to see. I've had my rash moments, made dozens of
> errors and misstatements, denounced myself as "crap player", etc, but I
> couldn't care less who sees any damn thing I write.  Brings to mind this
> little poem:
>
> Those who write on shithouse walls
> roll their shit in little balls
> Those who read those words of wit
> eat those little balls of shit
>
> Excelsior!
>
> --
> Tom Walls
> the guy at the Temple of Zeus
> http://www.arts.cornell.edu/zeus/