| May 6, 2006 @ 12:51 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!!
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HarleysB_WV
Posts: 860
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I remember a guy who used to come into a chat area that I frequented many years ago. He was always nasty and hateful and full of venom on every single topic you could pick. If he found out anything at all about a person's life he would always try to embarass the person with it. He was a self proclaimed "internet bully". If he saw a person's picture he would always make a name for them that was never flattering. He was just one of those characters online who made the whole online experience miserable(for lack of a better word). A lot of people chose to ignore him, which of course, I did as well after he started his personal attacks on me. Then one day I went to the same state that he lived in to meet someone else from the internet. We met at a resteraunt for drinks and low and behold, you'll never guess who should happen to be there! lmao...Yep!! The self proclaimed internet bully. I recognized him from his picture, as did my friend. We sent him a drink and invited him to join our table. Turns out he's a pretty decent guy offline. We had a lot of fun that night and still keep in touch today. I have noticed over the years, that he is a lot nicer to people and keeps his nasty comments for those that come into that chat area making nasty comments.
Over the years I've seen a lot of people act really tough when they're at the computer. They say pretty nasty, horrible things about people every chance they get. I've actually met several who were the complete opposite offline then they were online. It never ceases to amaze me how a computer can change a person's personality.
Has anyone else ever had an experience similar to this??
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| May 6, 2006 @ 12:58 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!! |
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definitelydi
Posts: 12,602
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Yes, people usually ARE different. However, my experiences have been the opposite! They seem friendlier and more interesting while online. Maybe that's because it's 2am and you're half asleep while you're talking to them!
The image people project online isn't necessarily who they are.
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| May 6, 2006 @ 3:28 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!!
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lobo65
Posts: 602
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I only met two people from any internet board (Palomino and Shyanne), and they were both as nice in person as they were online. I'm exactly the same way in real life as I am online except that I think I've got a better sense of humor in person. 
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| May 6, 2006 @ 9:05 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!! |
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walkingman
Posts: 639
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I think that many people just make themselve's into something they are not on here Most people I meet are not at all the people they say they are on line. I have met a few nice people. I just think people like to have fun and get carried away. One just has to keep in perspective that this is just a computer and not real life. It when you meet them that you see the real person.
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| May 6, 2006 @ 9:28 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!!
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dixiepixie
Posts: 865
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I think that many people just make themselve's into something they are not on here Most people I meet are not at all the people they say they are on line.
A lot has to do with building high expectations in your own mind of what the other person is like. The other person has no control over your expectations. Also, someone who is playful and full of banter on line has built up their own expectations of you - over which you have no control. If you don't measure up to their expectations, naturally, the other person is going to be more quiet and subdued than they were prior to that discovery upon meeting. In a lot of cases there is a high possibility that both people are disapointed. A meeting is just another step in the process of getting to know someone. It serves its purpose well in helping you determine if you want to move forward with that person or not. One would hope that neither party were so emotionally fragile that they couldn't put the whole thing into it's proper perspective and move on.
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| May 6, 2006 @ 9:50 AM |
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Loreli
Posts: 20,307
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I just think people like to have fun and get carried away.
 Jeff
Maybe the guy mentioned in the OP statement was just taking his life frustrations out online! That's easier to do than face to face confrontation for some. But it's great that he was a decent person in person! Maybe it just took meeting a decent person from a site to chill him a bit.
I do think everyone will be a little different than you expect, only because on here, you mix some of your own ideas in with your facts subconciously.
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| May 7, 2006 @ 2:17 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!!
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Orphes1
Posts: 347
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Many epople use the net to even the score because of some psychological damage done to them somewhere along the line.
I'm glad that they use the internet as a weapon, instead of their automobile.
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| May 7, 2006 @ 2:18 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!! |
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Orphes1
Posts: 347
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OOPS!
P-e-o-p-l-e
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| May 7, 2006 @ 2:24 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!!
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chinabull2000
Posts: 7,012
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Orphes, you could've used the little pencil icon to edit your original post!
I think that many people are different online because their online persona is who they wish to be, rather than who they really are. I am pretty much the same online as in real life,: stubborn, difficult to get close to, opinionated, brash etc etc. 
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| May 7, 2006 @ 7:29 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!! |
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MotownManiax
Posts: 7,881
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China.
Wow Harley, what are the chances?...your story -- amazing coincidence.
Some people that are nasty, crude, and/or rude online use the pose to gain attention; to stand out in the crowd. Being an a@@ is certainly "one" way to make people notice (though not particularly constructive).
Of course, the people can be exactly what they portray, too? Idiots. 
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| May 7, 2006 @ 7:31 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!!
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spongebob777
Posts: 7,904
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I'm pretty shy till I get comfortable but once I do I'm pretty much the way I am online.
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| May 7, 2006 @ 9:15 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!! |
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walkingman
Posts: 639
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I am the same online as I am in person. I am out spoken and love a good converstation.. I don't think anyone would know that till they meet me in person. I think then that I would be seen in a different way by those people. I can't make an opinion about anyone on here of any substance without meeting and talking to them. It would just not be right.
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| May 7, 2006 @ 12:09 PM |
They're different OFFLINE!!
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HarleysB_WV
Posts: 860
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Some people that are nasty, crude, and/or rude online use the pose to gain attention; to stand out in the crowd. Being an a@@ is certainly "one" way to make people notice (though not particularly constructive).
WOW! I just realized how correct that statement is max!! If he hadn't been such an a@@hole in the chat area I would never have looked at his profile and therefor, not known what he looked like. The only place I really bother with profiles is here on MD. In chat areas, I don't usually take the time to look at profiles.
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| May 7, 2006 @ 12:13 PM |
They're different OFFLINE!! |
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Pete73052
Posts: 19,368
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I like being an a$$hole - but I try to do it with a sense of humor - just like in real life. 
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| May 7, 2006 @ 3:25 PM |
They're different OFFLINE!!
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Orphes1
Posts: 347
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Hey China, thanks for the heads up.
Hey Mowtown!
Good to see you here..
I really got tired of all the (and I'll put this as delicately as I can) MORONS that showed up on the other forum. It was way too much for me. I noticed that the nit-picking was never really something done to obtain any objectivity, rather it was just done to vent, and maybe just to vent because someone else had more of one thing or another than them, so they decided to blame the Prez for it and everything else that's wrong in the world.. Venting that way may be fun for some people but room temperature IQ's don't really provide enough playtime for very long, at least not in MY sandbox..
So, I decided to jump onto the next track and see if there are any other people who can write notes with bigger than 3 and 4 letter words, without the incessant talking about something absolutely irrelevent to the discussion at hand. Know what I mean?
So far, this spot seems to have at least a sizeable number of individuals (yourself included) who use their brains for something besides a thing to keep their ears separated. What a relief. Will wonders never cease?
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| May 7, 2006 @ 3:36 PM |
They're different OFFLINE!! |
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Angel54214
Posts: 14,056
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I like being an a$$hole - but I try to do it with a sense of humor - just like in real life
Ha Ha Pete! I see your heart there on that sports coat sleeve, you can't fool Angel. 
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| May 7, 2006 @ 11:00 PM |
They're different OFFLINE!!
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Eastsexyf22
Posts: 8
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yes, cause online, u can be whoever u want to be,
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| May 7, 2006 @ 11:29 PM |
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Jankia
Posts: 9,148
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Of course we are all different offline.I know that I am,I post a great deal in the religion thread,not because I'm a "bible thumper" or think I am better because I love God,its because its interesting and I have the same questions many of the non-believers have.
Just because I dont reveal my intimate thoughts and give my opinions about private matters doesnt mean I dont enjoy sex.
My pictures dont reveal my male pattern baldness,I have teeth missing (not the main ones) and many of my opinions on these threads I would never really give to anyone unless asked.
Like Jeff said about himself,I am who I say I am.Sure there are those that "wishfully" think they are something they are not like Chinabull said but if you spend some time on these forums it doesnt take long to find out who the wishfull thinkers are.
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| May 8, 2006 @ 1:03 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!!
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stormy73
Posts: 1,164
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I've frequently encountered two "internet bullies"... one named Avie Hern, and the otheris Ford A. Thaxton. BOTH are major-league assholes, constantly belittling other posters. 
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| May 8, 2006 @ 1:29 AM |
They're different OFFLINE!! |
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Heaveninawildflower
Posts: 15,333
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I think I'm pretty much the same offline as here, with the caveat that I act here as if I'm among good friends. I've gotten to feel that I know so many of you that I forget that a number of 'strangers' are also reading these posts. I tend to get into religious and political discussions pretty easily, but bear in mind that I said discussions and not debates; my mind's not totally closed on anything, but I'm only swayed by logic; I'm basically analytical. I don't normally discuss sexual matters as freely as I do here, although I do have my moments...sometimes I just can't resist. I probably joke more IRL than here too... I've seen too many jokes gone bad when the inflections, expressions and body language (which are a large part of my humor) aren't along for the ride.
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