Sadje said it well. I think that if a person is the kind of person who feels free to act badly anonymously, it speaks to what they are all the time. Here’s my rather more lengthy post on that:
I am anonymous only on my blog. And being anonymous on my blog allows me to express my true self without being concerned about a real world backlash from others whose opinions and perspectives are different from my own and who might be offended by what I write. It’s not a way to be bad. It’s just a way for me to be unfiltered and honest.
People with strong opinions can be a bit (read ”really”) intense if you don’t agree with them, and I think it is sometimes a wise thing to write under a pen name. Not to ”hide” your true self, but to have a greater freedom of speach online, while drawing a clear line between life on and offline.
I don’t really express opinions that could raise fiery reactions, but as I was telling Melanie on her blog, I used to be very shy with my writing… I didn’t want people in my close family, or my co-workers to wonder ”Is this poem about (whatever situation going on in my real life)?” or ”Was this story inspired about (someone from my surrounding)?”. Sharing my writing in The Cove gave me a great sense of liberty, and I think it allowed me to go places I wouldn’t have dared to, if I wasn’t wearing a Domino mask 😉
I totally get it and feel the same way. Fandango is free to express himself in ways that the real world me would be reluctant to. Not in a bad way, but in an honest way.
Exactly… Hey, think about it… most superheros do what they do best behind a mask! Batman, Spiderman… They sure didn’t use anonymity to do wrong things 😉 Hehehehe
I agree, Anne. Especially in the past year, a lot of people use their anonymity to make trouble. I don’t know how things are in Ontario, but we had a record of anonymous threats (even death threats) concerning government members. It is a sad thing to see. Some people really think they can hide behind a fake name and say anything that comes to their minds…
Ooooh – I think so. I think for some people anonymity means no accountability.. We have to wear name badges at work – which I sometimes find odd but if you deliver poor patient care, the patients have a right to complain. Which is always sad really.
I hadn’t thought about that angle, Caramel… And it is sad to think that it takes a name badge to get some people to do their job the right way. But you’ll have to admit that anonymity has its advantages… If we had no right to remain anonymous in some spheres of our lives, you couldn’t have shared your story with Jack with us, right? 😉 And must say, I really like keeping (almost) up to date with your veiled confidences 🙂 (All the best to you two, btw *big hugs*)
From what I’ve seen, there are an awful lot of people who are happy to hide behind the cloak of anonymity in order to say things they would never say otherwise!
True… But saying things we wouldn’t have said otherwise isn’t always a bad thing. I, for one, would never have shared my poetry or stories, under my full name. Not yet. So I think that being allowed to publish my writing under a pen name was a positive thing. Unfortunately, the people using their anonymity to say bad things make a bigger impression, because of the disturbance. I think… Does it make any sense?
Cyranny's Cove 
For a weak person it might. A strong person, with an intact moral code would behave as they always do.
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Very good point, Sadje 🙂
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Thanks 🙏
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Sadje said it well. I think that if a person is the kind of person who feels free to act badly anonymously, it speaks to what they are all the time. Here’s my rather more lengthy post on that:
https://sparksfromacombustiblemind.com/2021/01/30/eyes-without-a-face-cyrannys-quickie/
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Thank you, Melanie… And my more lengthy reply is in your comments 😉 xx
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I am anonymous only on my blog. And being anonymous on my blog allows me to express my true self without being concerned about a real world backlash from others whose opinions and perspectives are different from my own and who might be offended by what I write. It’s not a way to be bad. It’s just a way for me to be unfiltered and honest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
People with strong opinions can be a bit (read ”really”) intense if you don’t agree with them, and I think it is sometimes a wise thing to write under a pen name. Not to ”hide” your true self, but to have a greater freedom of speach online, while drawing a clear line between life on and offline.
I don’t really express opinions that could raise fiery reactions, but as I was telling Melanie on her blog, I used to be very shy with my writing… I didn’t want people in my close family, or my co-workers to wonder ”Is this poem about (whatever situation going on in my real life)?” or ”Was this story inspired about (someone from my surrounding)?”. Sharing my writing in The Cove gave me a great sense of liberty, and I think it allowed me to go places I wouldn’t have dared to, if I wasn’t wearing a Domino mask 😉
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I totally get it and feel the same way. Fandango is free to express himself in ways that the real world me would be reluctant to. Not in a bad way, but in an honest way.
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Exactly… Hey, think about it… most superheros do what they do best behind a mask! Batman, Spiderman… They sure didn’t use anonymity to do wrong things 😉 Hehehehe
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I think that Social Media backlash encourages people to remain anonymous. Only the courageous reveal themselves.
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I agree, Anne. Especially in the past year, a lot of people use their anonymity to make trouble. I don’t know how things are in Ontario, but we had a record of anonymous threats (even death threats) concerning government members. It is a sad thing to see. Some people really think they can hide behind a fake name and say anything that comes to their minds…
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Yes
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You think it encourages people to misbehave? Do you think most people wouldn’t follow rules if they couldn’t be identified?
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It would only take a handful acting out to cause chaos and terrify everyone…
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True. It is sad to see how just a couple of people with bad intention can cause massive harm…
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Ooooh – I think so. I think for some people anonymity means no accountability.. We have to wear name badges at work – which I sometimes find odd but if you deliver poor patient care, the patients have a right to complain. Which is always sad really.
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I hadn’t thought about that angle, Caramel… And it is sad to think that it takes a name badge to get some people to do their job the right way. But you’ll have to admit that anonymity has its advantages… If we had no right to remain anonymous in some spheres of our lives, you couldn’t have shared your story with Jack with us, right? 😉 And must say, I really like keeping (almost) up to date with your veiled confidences 🙂 (All the best to you two, btw *big hugs*)
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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Thank you 🙂 🙂 🙂 xx
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From what I’ve seen, there are an awful lot of people who are happy to hide behind the cloak of anonymity in order to say things they would never say otherwise!
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True… But saying things we wouldn’t have said otherwise isn’t always a bad thing. I, for one, would never have shared my poetry or stories, under my full name. Not yet. So I think that being allowed to publish my writing under a pen name was a positive thing. Unfortunately, the people using their anonymity to say bad things make a bigger impression, because of the disturbance. I think… Does it make any sense?
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Yes. I think it all depends on intention, which in your case is to enlighten ❤️
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Thank you 🙂 I think there are as many masked superheroes, as there are supervilains. I personally rate myself somewhere in between 😛
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