Why it’s healthy to take a break from your online persona (2016)
1–10 of 23 posts
Re: Why it’s healthy to take a break from your online persona (2016)
#2Let my online persona take the criticism? Yes. My offline persona too. Alan Watts used to point out that even the 'real' persona is only a mask (the word coming from the ancient greek πρόσωπον which originally referred to a theatrical mask).
>the “online disinhibition effect” is what enables your mild-mannered neighbour to become a hate-spewing bigot on social media
It's complicated. The fear of enemies keeps our 'ego persona' firmly in charge like a wartime leader. Because we identify with this persona we therefore unconsciously seek out people to hate in order to feel safe. Because open hatred isn't socially acceptable we designate the target group a 'hate group'. It's then OK to hate them because they're the real haters! And so these opposing groups create and sustain one another, making the participants feel safe and all the while making the world decidedly less safe.
Re: Why it’s healthy to take a break from your online persona (2016)
#3This is a great thing to do from time to time. I occasionally log out of apps and even delete them from my phone just to take a break. No need for anyone to like my tweets or heart my photos.
Re: Why it’s healthy to take a break from your online persona (2016)
#4some people can take a break
but you become the mask, eventually.
Re: Why it’s healthy to take a break from your online persona (2016)
#5See, the trick is to make your persona the 'you' that you want to be. For better and worse.
Best case scenario: you become more like the 'you' that you wanted to be. Worst case scenario: your online persona is linked to the 'real you', and you can now be measured by your own ideals!
I've often wondered what would happen if my 'online persona' were linked to my real identity. It would be extremely embarrassing: I've been open about things I'd never mention in the 'real world'. I've said things that I regret, especially in my younger years. And perhaps at times I've pretended to be something that I'm not.
While I would absolutely hate being 'doxxed', if it were to happen I think the consequences would be good and educational regardless, so I'm kind of okay and safe just being this 'better me' online.
Re: Why it’s healthy to take a break from your online persona (2016)
#6See, the trick is to make your persona the 'you' that you want to be. For better and worse. Best case scenario: you become more like the 'you' that you wanted to be. Worst case scenario: your online persona is linked to the 'real you', and you can now be measured by your own ideals! I've often wondered what would happen if my 'online persona' were linked to my real identity. It would be extremely embarrassing: I've b…
>While I would absolutely hate being 'doxxed', if it were to happen I think the consequences would be good and educational regardless, so I'm kind of okay and safe just being this 'better me' online.
I am happy you apparently hold views that large swathes of society agree with. You are lucky, dare I say privileged, that you are fairly certain that nothing you have said would provoke a violent response from somebody. I fear that this is not the case for most people.
Re: Why it’s healthy to take a break from your online persona (2016)
#7See, the trick is to make your persona the 'you' that you want to be. For better and worse. Best case scenario: you become more like the 'you' that you wanted to be. Worst case scenario: your online persona is linked to the 'real you', and you can now be measured by your own ideals! I've often wondered what would happen if my 'online persona' were linked to my real identity. It would be extremely embarrassing: I've b…
>I've said things that I regret, especially in my younger years.
I was both blessed and cursed to have the internet be mainstream while I was going through puberty.
Maybe I seem weird for not being on Facebook, but Myspace was a humbling enough experience, thank you.
Re: Why it’s healthy to take a break from your online persona (2016)
#8some people can take a break but you become the mask, eventually.
“You must discover whose face lies behind this mask, but you must never know my face. Is that quite clear?”
— V
Re: Why it’s healthy to take a break from your online persona (2016)
#9Too many people have online personas that are simply terrible, opinionated loudmouths.
It's a shame, really. It's led to today's bifurcated society.
Re: Why it’s healthy to take a break from your online persona (2016)
#10More than once, I’ve caught myself thinking I ought to weigh in about a major news event, as if Twitter were waiting on tenterhooks for my views.
Maybe the thing we need to take a break from is being reactive like this. Often, reacting to negative stuff just entrenches it. No need to let the tail wag the dog.
If you want to post about being a creationist or whatever, it is possible to do that without it becoming drama. It depends a lot on how, where and why you do it. This person apparently knew it would be a shit show and did it anyway. If it mattered to them, they probably could have handled it differently. Though doing things diplomatically is extra effort and a lot of people don't really want to bother.