Case study.
Make a list of people from RPG who you think were total jerks (It's okay, I'm on the list, I understand, that's fine). Now as you all know, we just experienced a big crash/migration/extinction-type event, and everyone had to re-register -- so, what I want you to do is, go through that list, and see if you can identify anybody on the new site.
What?! You can?! and it's EASIER than finding other users?
What's up with that? Well -- the answer's both simple and fitting. Rather counter-intuitively, the people you perceive as jerks (there's probably a better word) cherish their identity on the internet. We didn't change our names -- we didn't even THINK about changing our names. Or if we did change, we picked something that was already familiar to us, something that already constituted a part of the identity we'd already built. It's the opposite of anonymity -- we all, pretty much unilaterally, held onto the recognizable structures we'd built to define ourselves in a community.
What is that? That's role-playing, sir. And it's fantastically meta. It's the entire internet. Every YouTuber starts his livestream with 'Hey this is *kratos2312 or whatever bullshit*.' Nobody's making us self-identify -- heck, nobody remembers anyway, shit, I have no idea who the last Borderlands streamer was that I watched, but he certainly gave himself an introduction, and offered a few links to other videos. Those same guides probably would be more helpful if, rather than mixing in your own personality, you just cut right to the chase and showed where to unlock the Dubble Hornet or whatever the hell...... so why?
I mean it's not a trick question. We want to be identified, even on the internet. The people who scream for attention -- tell you what, let's use me. When I make a fuss, it's not because lol nobody can find me and punch me lol i can say whatever i want lol watch this OBBABBMA MAMA lol. It's the opposite of that. You see me and, saaaaaay Brovo. You see me and Brovo start up a semintellectual debate and you have to wonder 'how can that possibly be fun,' and yet time and time again we just do it. Why? Because it's part of the identity we cultivate, and fulfilling that feels good. Even when it's futile. It's like when two kids find some long sticks and play Star Wars with each other -- it's 'you be Roe and I'll be Wade and for a few minutes we'll feel like we're the ones that matter.' And the longer you keep it up, the more convincing it is, to you as well as to everyone watching.
Now if this sounds vaguely sad and pathetic, I'm writing it wrong. That old adage that says 'Reading can take you anywhere!' is a bunch of bullshit. Reading can take you ringside, but only writing lets you throw a punch. And writing is fantastic. And the internet is fantastic, for those same reasons. You can be the beacon of social justice, if you put the work in. You can be the cool interceding voice of Ace. You can be that guy who posts, and everyone rolls their eyes and says 'Oh, that Naruto is such a weirdo!' Or you can be, you know, a sexually active 13 year old, we had that guy here once, hey, whatever floats your boat man, I don't judge. It's a role. It's an identity. It's a character and it's a part of you. That's better than reading. Reading licks these nuts, this is writing.
And sure, you expect that, here, on a roleplaying/writing website. But look around. Isn't this the whole internet community? Isn't this Reddit? Isn't this twitter? Isn't this facespace and mybook and huggle+? They're all doing what we do -- albeit without the class and dignity we manage around here (ha, wait, I'm posting this in spam? Okay, pretend I'm posting in RP discussion and then dignity. Or don't, and.... fuck it whatever, shut up). It's not anonymity. It's got nothing to do with anonymity. The internet is about being someone as hard as you goddamn can. Sort of like being the biggest Giants fan around. Sort of like being the best sales rep on the floor. Sort of like being the smartest kid in class. Sort of like being an aspiring writer.
Sort of like life.
Make a list of people from RPG who you think were total jerks (It's okay, I'm on the list, I understand, that's fine). Now as you all know, we just experienced a big crash/migration/extinction-type event, and everyone had to re-register -- so, what I want you to do is, go through that list, and see if you can identify anybody on the new site.
What?! You can?! and it's EASIER than finding other users?
What's up with that? Well -- the answer's both simple and fitting. Rather counter-intuitively, the people you perceive as jerks (there's probably a better word) cherish their identity on the internet. We didn't change our names -- we didn't even THINK about changing our names. Or if we did change, we picked something that was already familiar to us, something that already constituted a part of the identity we'd already built. It's the opposite of anonymity -- we all, pretty much unilaterally, held onto the recognizable structures we'd built to define ourselves in a community.
What is that? That's role-playing, sir. And it's fantastically meta. It's the entire internet. Every YouTuber starts his livestream with 'Hey this is *kratos2312 or whatever bullshit*.' Nobody's making us self-identify -- heck, nobody remembers anyway, shit, I have no idea who the last Borderlands streamer was that I watched, but he certainly gave himself an introduction, and offered a few links to other videos. Those same guides probably would be more helpful if, rather than mixing in your own personality, you just cut right to the chase and showed where to unlock the Dubble Hornet or whatever the hell...... so why?
I mean it's not a trick question. We want to be identified, even on the internet. The people who scream for attention -- tell you what, let's use me. When I make a fuss, it's not because lol nobody can find me and punch me lol i can say whatever i want lol watch this OBBABBMA MAMA lol. It's the opposite of that. You see me and, saaaaaay Brovo. You see me and Brovo start up a semintellectual debate and you have to wonder 'how can that possibly be fun,' and yet time and time again we just do it. Why? Because it's part of the identity we cultivate, and fulfilling that feels good. Even when it's futile. It's like when two kids find some long sticks and play Star Wars with each other -- it's 'you be Roe and I'll be Wade and for a few minutes we'll feel like we're the ones that matter.' And the longer you keep it up, the more convincing it is, to you as well as to everyone watching.
Now if this sounds vaguely sad and pathetic, I'm writing it wrong. That old adage that says 'Reading can take you anywhere!' is a bunch of bullshit. Reading can take you ringside, but only writing lets you throw a punch. And writing is fantastic. And the internet is fantastic, for those same reasons. You can be the beacon of social justice, if you put the work in. You can be the cool interceding voice of Ace. You can be that guy who posts, and everyone rolls their eyes and says 'Oh, that Naruto is such a weirdo!' Or you can be, you know, a sexually active 13 year old, we had that guy here once, hey, whatever floats your boat man, I don't judge. It's a role. It's an identity. It's a character and it's a part of you. That's better than reading. Reading licks these nuts, this is writing.
And sure, you expect that, here, on a roleplaying/writing website. But look around. Isn't this the whole internet community? Isn't this Reddit? Isn't this twitter? Isn't this facespace and mybook and huggle+? They're all doing what we do -- albeit without the class and dignity we manage around here (ha, wait, I'm posting this in spam? Okay, pretend I'm posting in RP discussion and then dignity. Or don't, and.... fuck it whatever, shut up). It's not anonymity. It's got nothing to do with anonymity. The internet is about being someone as hard as you goddamn can. Sort of like being the biggest Giants fan around. Sort of like being the best sales rep on the floor. Sort of like being the smartest kid in class. Sort of like being an aspiring writer.
Sort of like life.
