I started to ignore amazon reviews when I found out a friend of my reviews his own books anonymously there. Before this I had enjoyed reading what other readers had written. After all, you can tell a great deal from how a review is written - if it is a rant, then my rule of thumb was to ignore it, but positive and informative reviews helped me make up my mind about ordering something a little more adventurous than normal. I am wholeheartedly in favour of as much anonymousity as you can get on the net - unless you are hurling accusations. I think we all have a right to some privacy. Before I started on lj I found the top five google searchs on my real name gave away a great deal of information on me, including my age. I'm not famous, and I've never deliberately posted that information anywhere. I friends lock a lot of my posts, and among other things, I talk about the various things my son gets up to, and even post the odd picture. I would never like the tales of toddler misdemeours to be found by his peers when he goes to school - and as for the pictures, that's obvious. I also have some internet friends who have difficulties with depression, and on line we can talk about these without everyone in our streets knowing this is a problem- and this can be surprisingly helpful. Also, from working as a psychotherapist and a psychologist, I do not see a strong link between telling someone your real name and telling the truth. :) Identities, and how we present ourselves, I believe, change all the time - and while I would never give my address to someone who I didn't know the real identity of, not knowing this, will not stop me having them as an on-line friend. (or Ljiend!) :) Now, that's me rambling. :)
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2004-10-25 03:08 am (UTC)I am wholeheartedly in favour of as much anonymousity as you can get on the net - unless you are hurling accusations. I think we all have a right to some privacy. Before I started on lj I found the top five google searchs on my real name gave away a great deal of information on me, including my age. I'm not famous, and I've never deliberately posted that information anywhere.
I friends lock a lot of my posts, and among other things, I talk about the various things my son gets up to, and even post the odd picture. I would never like the tales of toddler misdemeours to be found by his peers when he goes to school - and as for the pictures, that's obvious.
I also have some internet friends who have difficulties with depression, and on line we can talk about these without everyone in our streets knowing this is a problem- and this can be surprisingly helpful.
Also, from working as a psychotherapist and a psychologist, I do not see a strong link between telling someone your real name and telling the truth. :) Identities, and how we present ourselves, I believe, change all the time - and while I would never give my address to someone who I didn't know the real identity of, not knowing this, will not stop me having them as an on-line friend. (or Ljiend!) :)
Now, that's me rambling. :)