Your Online Personality -- VS -- Your Real-Life Personality

[arwalden]

Do our personalities change when we go online? No, silly... I'm not talking about when you pretend to be younger and better looking (and single) when you're flirting with someone.

I'm talking about how we generally act when in (non-sexual) chat rooms or on discussion forums like DU. I'm pretty certain that my personality changes online compared to how I act in real life. Sometimes I prefer my online personality, sometimes not. There have been occasions when I've surprised myself with the things I've written. When I read them later on, I can't believe that I was so sarcastic or rude.

So... how does your personality change? and...

POLL QUESTION: which of your personalities do you prefer?

[matcom]

1. same i think but those who have met me

will have to have the final say :D

[Skittles]

2. I am sweet and quiet in real life

and never threaten to kick asses.

[VelmaD]

3. You are full...

of bullshit. I can personally attest that you have just as many exclamation points in real life as you do online. :P

[Skittles]

24. DID YOU KICK YOUR BOSS' ASS YET

LET ME AT HER

[VelmaD]

27. Well...

get your ass down here and do it. When you're done you can come with us to the San Antonio meetup this weekend. :-)

[ScreamingMeemie]

46. Somehow I could almost believe that Skittles.

NOT. Hahahahahahaaha. But I like you just the way you are. :)

[arwalden]

5. I Joke Around More Online Than I Do In Other Social Situations...

... at other gatherings I'm usually quiet (until I've had a few glasses of champagne.)

-- Allen

[meegbear]

7. You're a dick

but who am I to say.

[matcom]

13. and your bald

:P

[meegbear]

17. LOL ...

and we both have goutees, so I guess we break even.

[GOPisEvil]

4. I'm quieter in real life.

Most of the time, anyway. :D

[theivoryqueen]

6. I am more restrained online

Written communications = more thoughtfulness in composition. It's easier to mis-"speak" as there are no other non-verbal clues as to intent. In "real" life, I am more exuberant and less cautious.

[ScreamingMeemie]

8. I don't think I am as sweet in real life as some people have told me I am

here. Although some posters also think I am twice my age. Hmmmmm...

[dmr]

21. I bet you are

Sweet in real life, not twice your age, that is!

Your posts are too kind, sweet and funny, can't imagine you otherwise.

[ScreamingMeemie]

44. Thanks, now could you sign that and give it to my husband? That was

nice of dmr! I think you are extremely sweet as well!
:hug:

[TXlib]

31. I think it's your screenname

"MrsGrumpy" makes you sound older than you are.

[ScreamingMeemie]

45. I think you are right. Maybe I should have picked MrsHottie or

MsHottie?? Heehee. I cannot imagine myself going around with a name like that. I guess I am getting old. Hahahaha. ;)

[pmbryant]

9. Definitely a difference

In 'real life' I am a mess. ;-) Online I am at least semi-organized.

And even though I am not terribly vocal online (most of the time), in 'real life' I am even less so.

--Peter

[theivoryqueen]

10. Do ya'll know each other?

From before you joined this discussion board? I had the idea that most people at DU were from all over the country and had met online.

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. The only other person I know in real life is PassingFair. She is a

neighbor and my best friend and the person who first sent me the link for DU.

[theivoryqueen]

12. Nobody I know uses DU although I have strongly suggested it.

They claim they are too "busy"!

[ScreamingMeemie]

15. I used to be busy...until I found DU.

;)

[theivoryqueen]

20. This is my story, sad but true...

I am supposed to be hard at work producing legal defenses for the (corporate) man. Somehow I get derailed.....

[GOPisEvil]

14. Some of us have met IRL too.

DUers are good people. :-)

[theivoryqueen]

28. Well if any of ya'll get to Dallas, let me know

I live deep in the heart of Deep Ellum

[VelmaD]

29. Gonna be in the vicinity...

as of 8:35 tonight. I'm spending the holiday with my folks up in Greenville. Don't know how much free time I'm gonna have though. Would love to meet more of the Dallas folks though.

[theivoryqueen]

30. I'm on Commerce between Malcolm X and Hall

Look for the only storefront with a (big) planter in front of it.
I think I'll be there around 8ish - although I was thinking about going to BOS for a cocktail......... Let me know if you wanna pop in via [e-mail]

[VelmaD]

32. 8:35 is when...

I hit Love Field tonight. The parents are picking me up and then I'm headed to the hinterlands (or Greenville which is basically the same thing). So, unfortunately I won't be able to pop in tonight. :-(

[theivoryqueen]

33. Ah, too bad!

If you get downtown,look me up.

[VelmaD]

34. Cool...

my mom and I are probably gonna go shopping while I'm home and I have to see my best friend who lives in Dallas. Maybe during one of my sojourns into the city I can stop by. If not, there's always the xmas holiday. I'm gonna be off 10 days then.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Same

I'm a pedantic, pompous ass on DU, and i'm a pedantic pompous ass in real life. Amazing that i've been married almost 24 years. I don't know how she puts up with me. Same with the folks here.
The Professor

[THUNDER HANDS]

18. I don't know if I'm distinguished enough to have an online personality?

But I know in "real life" that I'm terminally shy, especially in large groups (10+ people) and double-plus-especially around women.

:D

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. Now that explains a lot...

;)

[nofurylike]

22. took being here to face it

but i do get dummer online, obviously.

sigh.

peace!

[VelmaD]

23. I think I'm pretty much the same.

I might be a little more reserved in person. I usually take a little longer to warm up to people in person.

[buddhamama]

25. i like my real life personality better. i talk for one,

and i am a lot funnier.

[corarose]

26. I am a crazy bitch on and off of the INTERNET

:kick:

[sandnsea]

43. Ditto

Except online I can formulate my opinions, offline I just tell people to fuck off.

[Zomby Woof]

35. I am similar

Although more huggable, more Zombyesque, in real life. I don't know, ask any of the DUers who have met me, or the one I live with! :D

[Misinformed01]

36. I used to be a bitch on DU

But, then I discovered the "ignore" function....and yeah...the Lounge almost disappeared; but my online experience is just so much nicer now.

I am sure the ones on my list don't miss me one bit, either.

[BiggJawn]

37. If my "Real" personality was more like my On-line persona...

I'd probably have a more exciting social life. In person, I'm taciturn (kind way of saying silent) reserved, and don't have many friends.

Conditioning fom my last marriage... "Now, when my friends come over, you just work the grill. don't bore anyone with that stupid shit you talk about, nobody gives a fuck about that shit..." 8 years of that and anyone would start to believe it.

See, the bitterness and rudeness comes out online. In the real world, it just gets stuffed and I'll either fuck you over in a passive-agressive way, or ignore you.

Anything's gotta be better than just sitting home alone or taking long bike rides in the Northwest Wilderness part of the county...

[TrogL]

38. I don't like my IRL personality

neither does anybody else.

[supernova]

39. About the same

I'm perhaps a bit more of a debater here. Mostly because I have time to think of a reply. IRL, I tend not to want to debate because I'm not so fast a thinker.

[guitar man]

40. About the same,I think

Generally,If I have something to say,I say it,IRL or on the web. I have never been one to say something just for the sake of being cruel,but I have never been one to pull any punches either. I have wound up with my foot in my mouth more than once IRL and on the web too.LOL

[Buns_of_Fire]

41. Not much difference

Here, I don't say a lot, and people probably think I don't have more than three brain cells to rub together.

Offline, I don't say a lot, either. But since I'm the Queen of England, no one dares question me about how many brain cells I may or may not have. (And when may we expect payment for the shrubbery that your ill-mannered twit and his equally ill-mannered entourage destroyed when they were here, eating up all our peanut butter and scaring the royal flamingos? And what are we supposed to do with six empty cases of Lone Star beer bottles?)

[populistmom]

42. It's not that different really

I think there have been times where I have said things initially that I otherwise wouldn't have said if it wasn't online, but probably those things were more honest than anything else. I've never gone online and pretended to be someone I'm not. I'm a bit more reserved in real life and less likely to take risks, but I'm just me whereever I am. Some people think I'm interesting, some think I'm boring, but I'm still me. I figure take it or leave it.

[mlawson]

47. I don't talk much in real life.

I tend to sit back at the brewpub, and say something only when I have something to say. Very reserved, my friends say, 'British', even though I have never even been there. Otherwise, moody, grumpy, depressed much of the time.

[SOteric]

48. I'm not substantially different in the brick & mortar world

than I am in the cyber world.

Perhaps that's because I regard them both as 'Real-Life,' just realities that are articulated differently.

I get more opportunity to elucidate my opinions online, but I feel that offline relationships are more deeply connected.

[rbnyc]

49. A lot of you have hung out with me off-line...

...I said I was pretty much the same. I would have said pretty much the same, but hotter, but that wasn't an option.

:evilgrin:

[Piperay]

50. I'm really shy in real life

I like the online personality better because it allows me to be much more outgoing. I would never :bounce: in real life like I can here. :-)

[chefgirl]

51. My online personality

Online, I tend to be a lot like I am in public settings. Generally pretty reserved.
Some of the lessons you learn in Catholic School die hard, I guess. Always be a lady, never call attention to yourself, always try to be gracious (even in a confrontational situation), etc...

In personal settings, with friends and family, I'm much more talkative and open.

-chef-

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

52. I think that I'm more outgoing here

and less shy-

youngred can attest to that

[JohnKleeb]

54. same with me Maggie

Hell he said I was even shyer than you. :hi: how does it feel to know someone is shyer than you.

[MrSlayer]

53. I don't really change.

How I am online is how I am in real life.

[JohnKleeb]

55. Take one away from both, I prefer my online persona

I am less shy and thats all that matters :), everything else is kinda simliar.