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i think i would not be as honest... esp on wb if i had to use my real name... but you are right.... i would prolly never speed or run stop lights :) its interesting to think about.... i think i would be very uncomfortable because i value my privacy and without it i dont think i would be quite as happy
Yes! I don't think that it would suddenly make everyone nice to everyone else, but for example on the internet people say AWFUL things because they can get away with it. It's not only that the commenter feels he or she can get away with being nasty, but that the victim is also not being seen as a full human being. Likewise, other cars on the road don't feel like people - they look and seem to be objects so it's a lot easier to cut them off, honk at them, give them the finger, etc.
I know people who know my handle on here and on another community website I use, and I definetly take that into account when posting. I know if it was my full name and address linked to everything I probably wouldn't post, because I think for the most part my info is nobody's business. But I don't give my zipcode to the checkers at gap either.
Even if your real name is being used, people are still strangers, especially online. If you had to say it to someone's face it might change, but the safety of distance that the internet gives just kills empathy.
@stephanie63087: Ooo you bring up a really good issue of honesty vs. civility. I went to a really small high school and everyone was ridiculously, disgustingly, nice. But none of us really liked each other - we just had to deal with each other constantly.
Honestly I feel less and less anonymous on this site the longer I'm on it. I admit I felt more 'fearless' at first about stating my opinion, but now I respond like I would in person.
I was thinking about how people park like jerks and I thought "What if their name was on their license plate? What if I could write them a letter stating they were a jerk for parking like that?"
That's where this came from.
Then I thought about the internet and I realized that on Facebook people are still very real. My brother curses like he would in real life, and I get into political debates too. But with a handle on a site like WB, I actually find that I'm NICER than I would be if I really knew the person.
Is that strange or what?
I live in a smaller town outside of one of the biggest cities in Canada. And I always make sure to drive nicer!! I also have a bright orange car which I'm one of two in the town (that I've seen!) so I can't finger people like I would normally do in the big city! lol
As far as my personality - I'm generally very nice to everyone (except idiots while driving!) so no, I wouldn't feel the need to change that way. FI and I are very low key, don't cause drama, etc. I don't feel like I would change the way I act or speak online if people knew who I was!
If I wasn't anonymous I would be more careful about my driving. There are several times where I say, "why not? I'm never going to see that person again."
@MightySapphire: I think a lot of people would act differently if they had all their info following them around. Although sometimes internet anonymity allows for people to vent frustrations and sort thru problems without having to talk to someone who "knows" them.
I'm pretty much the same person online as I am in life but then again I use my real picture so I'm not that anonymous. Even if my name was on my license plate I'd probably drive the same way - if someone wanted to hunt me down to talk about it I'd tell them how - "NO it's not okay to stop in the middle of the road in moving traffic to let someone make a left turn I don't care how nice you think it is...it will cause accidents"
One of my favorite quotes is "Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching".
@MightySapphire: I'm nicer on weddingbee, too. Well, maybe not nicer, but more careful to make sure I'm not sounding accusatory / using sarcasm that might be misconstrued / etc. I also curse a LOT less. Some of it's since I use the same handle all the time, so I don't want people thinking "man, that Entangled... what a jerk" but it's also the social norm here. I normally curse like a sailor and I know that's 1) not encouraged and 2) offensive to some people.
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Beekeeper
Do you think that human behavior would change if you could never be anonymous? For instance, in small rural towns, everyone knows each other. Do you think that people are more polite because of that? Do you think they drive better/less aggressively?
What if license plates listed your name and address?
What if you were only ever allowed ONE handle on the internet-your full name?
Do you think that people would act differently if they couldn't hide behind the fact that no one knows who they are?