Something I Thought of Last Night...

jupiter23 · Post by **jupiter23** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 12:44 pm

I know, it seems strange, but it just seemed to cross my mind last night before I went to sleep. I don't know if I am the only one to come up with this theory, but I seem to find a lot of people find it easier to discuss their problems with total stangers before they will discuss it with people they know. Case in point (and a hypothetical situation): you find out your friend's boyfriend or husband is cheating on her, but you don't know how to tell her straight out, so you either go to someone like a school counselor or a disscussion forum such as this one and present the problem there first. And I mean people will first talk to people they don't know either very well or at all. Have you ever noticed this? Or have you also had things like this that pertained to absolutely nothing in your life cross your mind for no reason at all?

Artemis · Post by **Artemis** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 1:09 pm

My god, that's so true. I can NEVER tell people I know things like that, but I can always say them on forums!
^^;;

yamijounouchi · Post by **yamijounouchi** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 2:10 pm

probably because it's easier to talk on an anonymous forum where no one can judge you, only your screen name.

Cardcaptor Takato · Post by **Cardcaptor Takato** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 3:58 pm

And if they hate you for whatever the reason, it's easier to just move t another forum than it would be if that was in an off-line situation.

crazydiamond · Post by **crazydiamond** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 6:58 pm

I think what yami said is true. Also, people who don't know anything about your friends can't have any baises against them. Get what I'm saying? Like, if you were to take hypothetical problem to your parents or to another friend, they already have a preconcieved notion of your friend and are influenced by that notion.
I, however, tend *not* to talk to anonymous people about such problems, even tho I know they probably can give pretty good advice.

Post by **Tiff** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 8:07 pm

yamijounouchi wrote:probably because it's easier to talk on an anonymous forum where no one can judge you, only your screen name.

You hit the nail right on the head. This is my own reasoning for talking to online friends rather than "IRL" friends about certain things. For one, you're not having to actually LOOK at the person, so it's a lot easier to stay composed and get what you need to say out. Also, it's a lot harder for them to judge you and berate you, becuase they don't kno wyou as well as, say, your IRL best friend of 5 years or something.

The internet is a great place to open up, but sadly, it's also a place for people to become indulged and buried in their own problems. It seems more and more that weblogs and webjournals are simply becoming outlets for angst rather than a place for thoughts.

Starscream · Post by **Starscream** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 8:17 pm

Heck, sometimes it's even easier to talk to IRL friends online; even though you know them, and run into them on a somewhat daily basis, there is still an air of "anonymity" that exists between the two of you; more specifically, it's this appeal of not having to look at them or hear any vocal fluctuations that could otherwise unnerve you and make you forget what you're trying to say.

Tiff wrote:The internet is a great place to open up, but sadly, it's also a place for people to become indulged and buried in their own problems. It seems more and more that weblogs and webjournals are simply becoming outlets for angst rather than a place for thoughts.

All too true. It's cool to just post every so often about what a good/bad/intelligent/mind-numbing day you've had, but swimming through post upon post of "I hate my life, everything sucks" gets tiresome. There are plenty of exceptions, of course, but those angsty blogs/journals can get really repetitive.

Sailorasteroid · Post by **Sailorasteroid** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 8:35 pm

Starscream wrote:Heck, sometimes it's even easier to talk to IRL friends online; even though you know them, and run into them on a somewhat daily basis, there is still an air of "anonymity" that exists between the two of you; more specifically, it's this appeal of not having to look at them or hear any vocal fluctuations that could otherwise unnerve you and make you forget what you're trying to say.

I like to split the difference a little more--I have a friend (ex-girlfriend, actually) who lives out of state, and I talk to her over IM every so often. It's she who I go to for general advice, though I do so rarely. I can be rather pig-headed when it comes to my own life. The people I meet online, no offense to anyone here, I just wouldn't want to burden with my problems, nor would I entirely trust them to understand the context needed.

All too true. It's cool to just post every so often about what a good/bad/intelligent/mind-numbing day you've had, but swimming through post upon post of "I hate my life, everything sucks" gets tiresome. There are plenty of exceptions, of course, but those angsty blogs/journals can get really repetitive.

I've never encountered that type of blog. The only ones I've seen are the political ones. It seems to me that the personal blog is more intended for friends and for the blogger to spill his or her guts, and there's no harm in that.

Post by **Tiff** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 8:48 pm

Sailorasteroid wrote:
I've never encountered that type of blog. The only ones I've seen are the political ones. It seems to me that the personal blog is more intended for friends and for the blogger to spill his or her guts, and there's no harm in that.

Oh, they're everywhere. Livejournal, blogger, greatestjournal...they're all swimming with them. Search through some random ones sometime.

I have a blog myself, but I use it for all forms of expression. I write about my day, about school, sometimes abuot my bad times, and I put my poetry in there sometimes.