I'm a lot less vocal in person than I am on here, but I don't think that's lying. More like protection by anonymity.

the anonymity, probably allows people to be more of who they actually are, then the people they need to around their real lives... most people know their boundaries and dont surpass them, because of the repercussions. The protection of anonymity allows you to pull down your own barriers and be who you are on the inside
Obviously this is not true in all cases, but im willing to bet more than not

I don't make any active efforts to be different online compared to real life. I think if someone from here were to meet me in the flesh and have a conversation they wouldn't be surprised at all by what they found.

tbh, I don't understand why people would even try to be different online anyway.

I surmise that most people aren't that different from online to real life. It seems that way because typically people only post online if they have an opinion on something, and opinion breeds conflict. I'm sure some people use it as an outlet to vent frustrations. In real life you're less likely to actively talk about your opinions and vent.

Of course there are outliers who like roleplaying as some kind of character online, probably. And it is lying, of course. I generally think lying is a bad idea. Very little good ever comes out of it.

It's not an online/offline thing I think, even in different online communities you may be different. I think we are *all* different in one community than we are in others. Think family / work / webdip / wikipedia / friends / whatever. It all has to do with the general community culture as to what is acceptable that (partly) define how we behave.

In some uptight communities (my old work for example) I tend to be the person who likes to shock. But let's just say that in this community that role has already been taken up by others....

I think it constitutes lying when somebody posts a declarative sentence that is false.

Correction: when somebody knowingly posts a declarative sentence that is false.

So OutsideSmoker, are you trying to tell us that you're really not a smoker???

;-)

He's actually inside :-P

I agree with TMoW, it all depends on the community. That being said, the anonymity of the internet certainly allows people to be a little more "free", and in effect, closer to their true selves. Now, does this constitute lying, I do not think so. It is no different that changing your behavior around friends`than with family, which is almost a neccesity to survive. Now, does it matter? I am a bit confused by this question, but I'll cover both of the interpretations I have of it. Does it matter whether or not the person is "lying" about their real life persona, not really this sphere is very separate from real life. However, it still matters what you say on the internet, as while there is additional freedom, there are proper and improper ways to use such freedom (I would mention examples, but I don't want to turn this into another of "those" threads). However, I will always believe that if there is a "true"self for a person, it is likely to be found in a place of anonymity, like the internet than in real life. After all, "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." -Oscar Wilde. That is all.

I think semck83's declaration of how he supposedly defines lying is false.

Haha, how's that THM?

When I played Warfyste in World of Warcraft, I was a fierce warrior. I ganked noobs. I was an efficient killer of creatures and a collector of gold and loot. When I interacted with other real world people in my guild, I was a mix of Warfyste-in-character, and real world me (and my wife, who also played and was in the guild) discussing real issues.

When I play <name your game> I become whoever, and do whatever...it is escapism and a release of stress.

So yes, when I came to webdip, I came to play games, and when I joined the forums (and was **immediately** attacked from damned near my very first post!) I took on the personna that I choose to interact in this *virtual world*. Yes, you are all real...but you names are not Putin and Semck and Bosucks...you are all characters. Putin claims it is a lie to act differently here than in real life. really? You truly are this much of a Ass in real life? I sincerely doubt it, or you would have the shit kicked out of you daily, just as I would if I behaved irl as I do here.

I cannot think of a single person here who, at some point in time, has not done something, said something, been a arrogant assholish prick in some way that would earn him an ass-kicking in the real world, up to and including abgemacht. Some just play their choosen “persona” with a little more gusto.

If you want reality, go talk to flesh and blood people face to face – find a local game group and go play games. But as your choosen hang-out is a virtual world, the expectation of reality is foolish at best.

Here's a little insight: krellin (Kinf Krellin, actually) was my Chaotic Neutral fighter when I played old-school en-and-paper D&D back in the day (mid-80's). He was quick to draw the sword, was known on occassion to draw the blood of member's of his own party, but was loyal to the point of risking death in a fight...and he was hella-good in a fight, with a few awesome magic items and incredible strength. So, when I came here expecting to just play a game and choose the name "krellin", this is the guy in mind. When the forums from day 1 were obvious to me as a sparring ground as much as anything else...well, old chaotic-neutral badass krellin ended up being a rather appropriate name....

A fun question, OS.

I can only promise you this: the YJ you see here is pure, raw, 100% uncut IRL YJ, only uncontaminated from the social restraints that restrict my desire for laughter, buffoonery, and attention-whoring.

But in case I'm not being plain enough, I think it's highly likely that most everybody behaves as I say above (or with some degree more restraint). There are no "lies" here, only the same personality you'd see anyways, but in a different context.

krellin really is a snarky, hilarious, bigot.
Putin really is an angry little gnome.
2WL really does blow dudes for money.

Just not as much as you see it here.

And I'm just full of supercaliswagilisticsexyhelladopeness.

I **fully** reject your assertion that I am a bigot YJ, and I'm insulted. I judge each individual as I meet them, regardless of gender, race of beliefs.

that being said, I am also not so ignorant and Libtardy-head-in-the-sand as to say that certain cultural groupings in our society do not display particular behavior patterns...but this is not 'biggoted" to say so, paticularly since these groupings onyl sometimes are classified using race or gender or belief. Fro example, you can make general statements about Hollywood, for example...in so doing, am I a bigot? Probably not, righit? But if I *dare* make a generalized statement about those living in the inner city of Detroit...suddenly I'm a bigot?Fuck you...if that makes me a bigot, then please, PLEASE don your finest clothing and let me drop you off at the street of my choosing in Detroit at Midnight and you ask the locals for help finding your way home. But, please give me the address to your favorite funeral home so I can send flowers first, OK? And isn't it ironic that the Libtard Champions of Racial Equality are always the first to throw the race card...AND the first to target advertising to select groups, starting first and foremost by targetting race adn gender groups....ahhhhh...how wonderful it must be to be purely blind to the fact that most Libtards are everything they claim to hate...

Yes, I'm a bigot because

because I think sin color and gender should not grant you special favors....Fuck you!

Bo wishes he had Cali swag.

I was born in California...

Don't worry krellin, you're the adorable kind of bigot, like a young Archie Bunker with cultural relevance :)

Fuck you.

YJ, please complete the following statement:

Older white men are: < >

Scratch that:

Global Warming Deniers are ________________

...checking out sugardaddyforme.com in unprecedented numbers.

Older white men are: sexy.

Global Warming Deniers are: libtards.

c'mon krellin I didn't think you'd get all upset, sorry. Let's keep it light, OK?

Hey YJ and krellin!

How's about you two get a room. After you're done, come sign up for my GR challenge.

YJ - global warming scare mongers are libtards. the Deniars are the intelligent, rational peole, silly goose.

HAH...sexy old men You treat us like pieces of meat...you are hateful!!! rotten bigot.

Why am I not surprised krellin is Chaotic Neutral...