Are people closer to their real selves online or offline?

[thejuice]

You often hear that online isn't 'the real world' don't you.

I'd say people are less inhibited online, although that doesn't necessarily mean they are genuine.

 

[lunarious]

If a Man says one word online or offline, he must Defend it (his title) as champ.

Internet has less inhibitions, but, someone is watching. It is correct to be Paranoid as Paranoia is your Teacher.

Bruce Lee said Pain is the best teacher.

Edited: Grammar

 

[Outdated]

I'd say people are less inhibited online.....

It's the exact opposite for me. Can't discuss topics that are of the most importance to me, can't use my local language, and I have to tip toe around people's sensitivities which is definitely not the Aussie way.

 

[thejuice]

It's the exact opposite for me. Can't discuss topics that are of the most importance to me, can't use my local language, and I have to tip toe around people's sensitivities which is definitely not the Aussie way.

Interesting. For me i see people being rude, and simultaneously thin skinned underneath.

 

[thejuice]

Local language of the four letter variety?
@Outdated

 

[jsilver256]

It's the exact opposite for me. Can't discuss topics that are of the most importance to me, can't use my local language, and I have to tip toe around people's sensitivities which is definitely not the Aussie way.

I understand exactly what you are talking about, and I tend to agree.

Language barrier is my biggest problem in real life. I guess being able to be my "real" self is just a lose-lose all-around.

 

[Outdated]

Interesting. For me it's people being rude, and simultaneously thin skinned underneath.

Go to any pub and you'll find exactly the same thing in real life too, people often behave differently in public than in private. There's a huge difference of course in local cultural customs and failing to respect those customs in a real life situation often results in instant karma - for some people this is the only way in which they ever start to learn the manners that their parents never bothered to teach them.

Aussies, like our Scottish and Irish forbears, tend to be straight talkers and don't beat around the bush a lot.

 

[thejuice]

When I think of a straight talking Aussie I immediately think of Eddie Jones people fear it

 

[Mary Terry]

I always try to be mindful that whatever I say online leaves a permanent record. I used to tell my paralegals and staff to never write anything in an email that they would not be proud to read on the front page of the newspaper the next day.

 

[Outdated]

When I think of a straight talking Aussie I immediately think of Eddie Jones people fear it

We're not big on political correctness here. We tried it for a while back in the 90s but all it did was sweep issues under the rug instead of bringing them out in the open and trying to resolve them.

 

[thejuice]

That's unusual for a society to try political correctness and then roll it back.

 

[Judge]

I always try to be mindful that whatever I say online leaves a permanent record. I used to tell my paralegals and staff to never write anything in an email that they would not be proud to read on the front page of the newspaper the next day.

Oh yeah. Same with insurance. Often reminded to be VERY careful over how we documented our files, particularly with the threat of state insurance examiners who were very diligent at discovering such things in formal audits.

I still recall having to cordially deal with two state examiners over such an audit. One was quite friendly and talkative. The other treated me and other employees as if we were convicted criminals.

But then we knew these two from another company's audit where they discovered a map in a closet that outlined various locations of segments of San Francisco's population by race and sexual orientation not to be insured. A practice known as "red-lining". And it cost that company plenty.

 

[Outdated]

That's unusual for a society to try political correctness and then roll it back.

Here we have a thing called The Pub Test. If you were in a local pub would your comments be offensive enough for someone to hit you? You'll often see the phrase used in political debate here - will it pass the pub test? And that's pretty much our strongest social guideline, that's how we measure what's acceptable to our society and what's not.

 

[thejuice]

all it did was sweep issues under the rug instead of bringing them out in the open and trying to resolve them.

I think most people have experienced scolding critisicm when genuinely trying to understand something that is sensitive. Especially ASD's who tend to stroll over mine fields blissfully unaware!

 

[Outdated]

I think most people have experienced scolding critisicm when genuinely trying to understand something that is sensitive. Especially ASD's who tend to stroll over mine fields blissfully unaware!

There's exceptions of course, but as a general rule I've found that most people will try to explain sensitive issues to you if you ask them out of a genuine wish to understand. If however they think you're just lining them up for more abuse then you'll get short shrift.

 

[thejuice]

There's exceptions of course, but as a general rule I've found that most people will try to explain sensitive issues to you if you ask them out of a genuine wish to understand. If however they think you're just lining them up for more abuse then you'll get short shrift.

Yes it's usually the martyrs who defend on their behalf which are the obnoxious ones.

 

[Judge]

There's exceptions of course, but as a general rule I've found that most people will try to explain sensitive issues to you if you ask them out of a genuine wish to understand. If however they think you're just lining them up for more abuse then you'll get short shrift.

LOL...I had to look up "short shrift". Perhaps akin to what we call the "Bronx Cheer". Or in a more diluted form, the "cold shoulder".

 

[Outdated]

I think people were a lot more willing to talk to me simply because of my autisticly naive approach. When I first moved up to Darwin I came across a bit of a strange procession one day, it was an aboriginal mourning party. I didn't approach them but I did stop and stare, and one of their Guardians came over and talked to me.

Because I asked him simple and straight forward questions he gave me simple and straight forward answers and I got a 15 minute lesson in tribal customs that very few people in the rest of the country ever come to understand. The man commented to me that it was unusual for white blokes to show genuine interest and it made him feel good to be able to explain to someone that wanted to understand.

 

[Xinyta]

You often hear that online isn't 'the real world' don't you.

I'd say people are less inhibited online, although that doesn't necessarily mean they are genuine.

This depends on one's perception of reality.

But I do feel alot of insecure, and mentally unstable, people feel solice in online anonymity. Being whatever they want. Do and say as they will. The power of that is intoxicating.

Though that also is a perception based thing too. There are people that don't connect online on the same level, as younger generations. Only using it for info and/or communication. Not much else.

Psychologically, it all depends on one's desires, experiences, and maturity. Even insecure people who absorb themselves in the online world, do it for a reason.

 

[FilterFreq]

I don't think we're ever not ourselves. If somebody puts on some persona, whether IRL or not, it's still just their own awkwardness or inability to cope with raw-dogging the situation.

Whenever I come across someone who's using excessive slang or obscure terminology in order to be perceived 'cooler' (especially IRL), I usually avoid that person because I know for a fact they're being inauthentic and I become skeptical of their true motives. The same goes for people online; it's all the same, really.