+1
+1
SCIENCE! wrote:
When I find myself tempted to post under a different name, because I don't want negative attention or my comment isn't a nice one, I take that as a sign to not post at all.
I understand the urge to be an anonymous dickwad is strong sometimes, but is it really worth being mean to a real person just because I can't see them? By not being anonymous, I find myself being more constructive as a result. I've posted information that a determined individual could used to find out who I am, and wouldn't hesitate to register my handle with real information if it were necessary.
My bad.
To this quote!
+1
"Remember, misery is comfortable. It's why so many people prefer it. Happiness takes effort.
Also, courage. It's incredibly comforting to know that as long as you don't create anything in your life, then nobody can attack the thing you created.
It's so much easier to just sit back and criticize other people's creations. This movie is stupid. That couple's kids are brats. That other couple's relationship is a mess. That rich guy is shallow. This restaurant sucks. I'd better leave a mean comment demanding that the website fire him. See, I created something.
Oh, wait, did I forget to mention that part? Yeah, whatever you try to build or create -- be it a poem, or a new skill, or a new relationship -- you will find yourself immediately surrounded by non-creators who trash it. Maybe not to your face, but they'll do it. Your drunk friends do not want you to get sober. Your fat friends do not want you to start a fitness regimen. Your jobless friends do not want to see you embark on a career."
Face it, we're all cowards. Don't use the phrase "serious, business self" while posting on an anonymous internet forum. You can try and convince yourself all you want, but in the end, you're wrong.
Guppy II wrote:
Don't use the phrase "serious, business self" while posting on an anonymous internet forum. You can try and convince yourself all you want, but in the end, you're wrong.
??? wtf?
Gutless Turd wrote:
I posted in another thread that we all post anonymously for no other reason than we are all pathetically immature cowards. We simply don't have the balls to stand behind our opinions.
If you have a different (and legitimate) reason for posting without using your real name and contact information, please share. Otherwise, admit that you're a gutless slug just like me.
No listen, there is no accountability here, no verification. People learn early on, not to use your real name.
The few elites who have..well once they see what a cesspool this is...they don't post again.
For me, honestly, the first time I came here was via a google search and I just noticed that people were using handles...so I used an accurate one for me, and then learn really quickly that there are a bunch of hateful, cynical, angry, slandering aholes most of the time...at first I was benign, and then when people I personally know started to get slandered, I got a harder edge. In a way it is a game....you can never come here again, or you can be a lurker, or you can vary from real talk, to taking on idiots on occasion. The reason some of us take on idiots...and it is kind of off season now, is for some time the idiots ran the asylum with lies...and the blowjo's don't moderate or police or clean up the reported posts as diligently as they say they do, otherwise they have very "mom's basement" or low iq ideas of what is cool and what should be allowed to stay. One their side...they seem to prefer the wild wild west version of the internet...no real registration, and you can slander any elite you want pretty much, and if it isn't reported it gets left up...or if they don't like that athlete...and their bias is leaked out in their writing all the time (Wheating has never been beaten by .50 it is always some dramatic adjective by .50. Digs at Nike by management here are common. Look at the front page today.)
Like anyone, I defend my own. On the other hand, if anyone outed an elite from my day that I know first hand did peds, I'd tell them they were right. But I am not going to name names of people from my day that I know did peds. I've never said that before...so one way to look at it is...you can really believe it when I tell you who I know is clean.
Another answer is, I could post links to pictures of me running at Oregon, stories of my era and my teammates...
But this isn't that site. This could have been that site. But the Brojo's preferred a part time mostly cesspool.
Give you an example...at one time in the last 4 years someone posted a thread on another one of my teammates. And it wasn't 5 posts before someone posted something shitty about him that I know to be entirely untrue. I txt the guy regularly, know him real well...and I get treated to some anonymous azzhole who doesn't know him, and likely hasn't googled and read his running career highlites trashing him. And he happens to be a truly nice guy. Nicer than me. And this has actually happened with a number of runners and people I know.
So because of the bad behavior and antiquated bullshite non registration required board...bad behavior goes on here...so you either leave, or reserve the right to smack back...and few want to smack back under their real name.
As someone once said, "in a place with no standards, I reserve the right to be an equal opportunity offender."
In a euphemism: "It's China Town, Frank."
Hope that helps you.
Eloquent philogamist wrote:
Because I'm very well known, financially secure and ridiculously good looking, and my real identity would only instigate further cognitive dissonance to my incredibly trenchant ideas.
Well played, sir, well played.
A Duck, you are insufferably annoying.
A Duck wrote:
...I txt the guy regularly...
you type out a relatively long response, taking time to use proper punctuation and grammar, but can't be troubled to actually spell the word "text"?
what the hell was going through your head?
Thanks for proving my point. If you were posting anything worthwhile and doing so in a civil manner, then what would you have to worry about? Yep, you're a coward, too.
I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have my parents, employers, etc reading everything I have to say about contentious political issues, sex, drugs, etc.
I post anonymously mostly because everyone else does. If I posted with my real name, I'd come off as attention seeking and I'd stand out more than I'd want to.
Here's another question to ask yourself: in your real life, would you feel comfortable having everyone you know hearing everything you say? Or would you prefer that some of your conversations be private?
When I'm arguing with someone on the internet about a controversial issue, I don't care whether the person I'm arguing with knows my identity. It's just that I don't want EVERY SINGLE PERSON I KNOW IN REAL LIFE, each of whom has access to the internet and could potentially read anything and everything I post, to know every single facet of my personality and every single opinion I hold.
“You Wear the Mask to Protect Those You Love”: The Dark Knight Rises
“You Wear the Mask to Protect Those You Love”: The Dark Knight Rises
john.doe wrote:
Here's another question to ask yourself: in your real life, would you feel comfortable having everyone you know hearing everything you say? Or would you prefer that some of your conversations be private?
When I'm arguing with someone on the internet about a controversial issue, I don't care whether the person I'm arguing with knows my identity. It's just that I don't want EVERY SINGLE PERSON I KNOW IN REAL LIFE, each of whom has access to the internet and could potentially read anything and everything I post, to know every single facet of my personality and every single opinion I hold.
Keep proving my point, will you? As you've described above, you are simply too cowardly to stand behind your opinions. Therefore, you post anonymously on message boards and take care to withold your true thoughts in public settings.
And, yes, I prefer that some of my conversations remain private. And those conversations may or may not have anything to do with my general opinions on any particular subject. But when I hold a private conversation it is just that; I don't speak "privately" in a room full of people.
The excuses I've read in response to my OP have been amusing. I'm forthcoming and admit that I'm too much of a wuss to out myself on the LRC message board. I don't understand why others can't simply admit the same.
I post consistently under the same name. It only seems reasonable, and I wish more people would. It's fun to have people you "know" here, like sprintgeezer and his take on Asafa Powell, A Duck and his knowledge of the Eugene scene, Ventolin and his scientific approach to the sport, etc.
As for not using actual names, are you joking? Looking at some of the hateful posts here, I wouldn't encourage anyone to share a shred of personal information. I work in a public field and have children. Given the scary obsessiveness and vindictiveness of many posters, there is no way on earth I am going to expose my identity to this board.
dd wrote:
received hate-mail and after my wedding announcement was in the paper (someone thought we were mixing races, based on our names)
America! Hell yeah!
That's okay, Michael Eskind, we'll post it for you and those children of yours.
Because I don't want every dumb thing I post on here to be associated with my name. A better question is, why would anyone NOT post anonymously? You really comfortable with the fact that someone could google everything you've ever said?
Look you cant even post basic training advice or questions on here without getting ripped. Nobody wants to put their real name out there like that.
My local running club too their messageboard to sign on with FB system and it's turned to crap.
All you get is platitudes. "hey, great run X!" boooorrrriiing.
Well if you don't write dumb things on here, Michael Eskind, then there isn't a problem. I love you honey muffin!