Masking Yourself

[Lil Red]

what i mean, is do you put on a "mask" on phatmass?

are you really like what you represent on phatmass, or are there parts you never show?

are you really the happy person you rep on phatmass even though your personal life maybe hell?

i know that speaking for myself, i'm not the happy person i try to represent to phatmass...i'm frequently angry and depressed...and sometimes i don't come by phatmass because people expect me to behave in a certain way, and i don't think i can.

i'm not the happy, Catholic, go-lucky person i rep on pm. i am a huge sinner...and sometimes i feel like a hypocrite writing messages on pm.

does this make sense to anyone?

[rachael]

yes. -_- but it makes sense to be like that. most of us dont ever see each other, so it's not like we can check each other on things.

[Andrea348]

yep...well, i can only speak for myself, but...

I try to be the best person i can be, don't always succeed, but I can try. It is easy to only show the positive aspects of our personality while on here because we can control what we post. This place has changed me a lot for the better, making me think before I act more than I used to. If I'm in a bad mood or angry, i tend not to post as much....partly because I don't want things to come out wrong and partly because I usually just don't feel like being at the computer. I too am a huge sinner, but God sees our efforts at striving for perfection.

I understand what you're saying though...

Edited November 27, 2004 by Andrea348

[rachael]

[url="http://www.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/disinhibit.html"]The Online Disinhibition Effect[/url]

^read that interesting article. it talks about why people act differently online. it's long....

[Andrea348]

[quote name='rachael' date='Nov 26 2004, 11:26 PM'] [url="http://www.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/disinhibit.html"]The Online Disinhibition Effect[/url]

^read that interesting article. it talks about why people act differently online. it's long.... [/quote]
that's interesting....i read parts of it and it makes SO much sense

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I think I'm pretty accurate about what I am really like...I don't make any effort to hide anything.

I used to, on another phorum. You know what though...just be yourself...really, it's the easiest way you can be, it's honest and open, and we will love you no matter what.

I've always kept myself as an open ear to Phatmass, and I am never shocked or scandalized by any of the secrets I here, but I love each and every one of you. If you hide who you are in order to be loved, then you aren't really getting the love you seek, because no one will really be loving you, but only your mask. If, however, you are honest...perhaps not everyone will love you, but you can rest assured that the many who do love you, love you for who you are. That is worth it.

[rachael]

I don't think anyone can be the same online as they are in real life.....they can get close....but they can't just be themselves. I don't care who you are, everyone puts on a "mask" online, even to thier friends and relatives.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

The best way to find out what a person is really like is to chat with them...the shorter the time they have to respond, the better.

It's an interesting topic...I'm glad to say that I don't see much hiding in the PMers...I think many are honest about what they do tell, although they may not tell all.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='rachael' date='Nov 26 2004, 11:35 PM'] I don't think anyone can be the same online as they are in real life.....they can get close....but they can't just be themselves. I don't care who you are, everyone puts on a "mask" online, even to thier friends and relatives. [/quote]
Jesus could.

I don't know...I think people can. It might be hard, but they can.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

By the way, Lil Red, I don't think you're a hypocrite. We are all sinners, but a hypocrite isn't a sinner who tries to be holy without acting; a hypocrite is a sinner who tries to act holy without trying.

[Balthazor]

I am really bad at lying. I don't know how to be someone other than who I am.....

So no, as Geraldine says what you see is what you get.

Although I do have to practice restraint at the debate table. I have always been a defender....one of those kids that protects there freinds from bullies, annd such and I really want to tell people off sometimes in there , more because of the way people treat each other there than the arguments that are made. But that is not my place.

Other than that yeah I am the happy, sappy goofball that I am on open mic.

[rachael]

[quote name='Raphael' date='Nov 26 2004, 10:37 PM'] Jesus could.

I don't know...I think people can. It might be hard, but they can. [/quote]
I think people can get close to it, but never truely be themselves. it's too easy to mold how others see you online.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='rachael' date='Nov 26 2004, 11:42 PM'] I think people can get close to it, but never truely be themselves. it's too easy to mold how others see you online. [/quote]
Yes, it's easy to mold that, but that implies an effort to mold others' perceptions of you as something other than what you are. I try my very best to be exactly how I am in real life by using the emoticons and such.

Now...I would argue that some people have mistaken perceptions...that I could see as a cause for some appearing different than they really are.

[rachael]

[quote name='Raphael' date='Nov 26 2004, 10:45 PM'] Yes, it's easy to mold that, but that implies an effort to mold others' perceptions of you as something other than what you are. I try my very best to be exactly how I am in real life by using the emoticons and such.

Now...I would argue that some people have mistaken perceptions...that I could see as a cause for some appearing different than they really are. [/quote]
i think that the majority of people don't try to mold on purpose. it just happens.-

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I don't see how a person can unintentionally give the wrong impression of himself.

What I can see is that a person can mistakenly misinterpret a person. Obviously, we'd have to be on the computer all the time to reveal everything about ourselves, so many people may not reveal everything, but that doesn't mean they are wearing a mask. It only means that they are half covered, whereas a mask implies not only covering a part of the reality, but replacing it with a false image. A person can easily misinterpret something, on the other hand. For instance, a person who came on and read my tract on the Theology of the Body or the Meditation on Modesty might think that I am deeply religious, theologically trained, or some sort of saint, but also as a loon. I will not comment on how I see myself in this regard, for modesty's sake. A person who sees this thread might think I'm highly philosophical, while a person who looks through the old "Lame Board" stuff will think I'm a goofball.

[rachael]

well, i don't know about you, but while i don't mask my whole being, i do mask parts of myself.

[Mr. Cube]

Mr. Cube puts on his phatmass face.

[J.R.D]

Yea I do

But Imma stop doin that I dont have to impress no one here...

"Only God Can Judge Me" Is goin on my back for a tatt to remind me

Think about that...

[mulls]

100% Grade A quality, all mulls all the time


i'm all about always being me. i was scared to be me when i was younger, but God created me as me and i embrace my personality, so no reason to front.


my identity is in Christ anyways....that's first and foremost for all of us (i hope).

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='rachael' date='Nov 26 2004, 11:57 PM'] well, i don't know about you, but while i don't mask my whole being, i do mask parts of myself. [/quote]
By mask do you mean that you hide them or that you misrepresent them?

I am not against hiding them. I will share my deepest secrets with anyone on this phorum, as long as no evil will come of my doing so, but I don't consider that masking, because it doesn't misrepresent a part of me...it only covers up a part of me.

By the way, I think it is admirable to hide things about yourself if it is because they might bring about evil otherwise, but I would not advocate doing it if the intent is to defraud...we must always strive to be as honest as we can and in as many ways as we can.