IRL vs. Online personalities

[awein999]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

I see the internet as an extension of irl and if you were to meet me in person you'll know it's that awein dude online.

[Herogashix]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

I'm easier to get along with irl than online. And I'm tired 90% of the time so I'm chill as fuq.

[Choofers]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

I don't swear as much IRL, and IRL the people around me are different from who I see online. Basically online I have a different audience, and IRL people would just be confused and think I'm going insane or something.

So basically for me, the main different between IRL and online is the context. You also can't really express the same thing IRL as you could online (for example, the sun emoticon on Skype, the "Victorymanias" picture I have, etc.) so this results in different behavior.

Online I'm generally a lot more intelligent, simply because sometimes I can look up something to understand the context of a discussion. IRL it's basically "you either know it on the spot, or you don't", and this is one of the main things that makes me mad when it comes to asking questions. Yay thanks for being a douchebag since I didn't want to look it up later!

(sun)

[Bynary Fission]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

I've always seen one's online personality as a truer measurement of their character. When I was a lot younger, I heard a saying that really stayed with me: "A person's character is not measured by what they do around others, but what they do when no one is looking". That is such a powerful statement, and it's one I've adhered to my whole life. I treat people respectfully and courteously on the Internet (for the most part anyways hehe, even I'm not perfect about that), because it is an extension of myself in real life. Think about it: if you can't conduct yourself properly when shrouded in anonymity, what does that say about yourself as a whole? People rarely say and act the way they do IRL than they do on the internet, because they are held accountable for their actions when they are in the presence of others. But if you act courteous and respectfully even when you can get away with acting like a dick, that is a much more profound statement about what you are really like - in other words, what you do when nobody else is looking.

That said, my online persona is much more reserved than myself in real life. I don't post often here (I've been here 4 1/2 years and much of the community still doesn't know who I am) and I tend to be quiet and soft-spoken about many issues. For the few of you who have met me in real life (kommisar, dAnceguy117, sticklydude), I am much more gregarious and outspoken face-to-face, which is somewhat unusual since usually it seems to be the other way around haha. It's kind of strange that I am so shy on the internet, really. :X

[Hakulyte]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

I'm exactly the same IRL and Online.

[Cavernio]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

This is a much more complicated question for me than it should be.

My personality has changed a lot in my adult/teenage years (mental illness will do that), and what I portray on FFR and other forums is different from what I portray in online games in-real-time.
On forums I come off as a pretentious douche. In general I love debating and arguing and analyzing and being contrary when the 'other side' of the argument has a good point (devil's advocate-like). I love stirring up the pot and trying to make people view things from a perspective that they may not have thought of. Forums are the pretty much the ~only~ place I do this, although there's the odd person I can argue with with ease. (But even then it can end badly.)
But like Reach and Dossar and Zager, the vast majority of the time I'll just be like 'oh yeah' IRL to someone who's being dumb or incredibly closed-minded, and will want to change the subject.

You'd also be surprised at the amount of time it takes me to make event he simplest of forum posts. IRL it's all got to be pretty instantaneous, so even if I do get into a debate, I'm often going to lose horribly and not be able to make my point at all. My random bouts of stuttering don't help, and neither does my incredibly ability to forget even the simplest of words. Deabting IRL often ends up with interruptions too, which just is no good for a proper discussion of something.

I can actually be funny IRL and in real-time chat if I'm in the mood. I like making borderline inappropriate jokes. Stuttering and forgetting words sometimes ruins these IRL though too, *grumble*.

Overall I'm more outgoing online.

@binary fission: I'm a nicer person in person not just because I'm held accountable then and there, but I also perceive that people will take things less personally online in a forum setting.
Also, how many times have you had an fight IRL and then the next day feel badly about how you reacted and think, hey, maybe the other person had a point? Real-time interactions are just absolutely horrible for making someone take a step back and think logically about something, including myself. My own experience is that I can be a lot more cool-headed online so that accountability isn't as much of an issue because of it. Maybe I erroneously think other people are the same way too.

[euphoriakisses]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

Most people tend to be a little more childish online because it's a free environment. Sometimes the way that I may act online, I wouldn't dare act irl.
I'm mature irl but I do have my moments. I troll, I joke, I pick on people and I act stupid online sometimes but we all do.
However, the facts that I have told about myself are true and my sense of humour remains. So if anyone from FFR met me irl, it wouldn't be THAT far off.

[Bynary Fission]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

@binary fission: I'm a nicer person in person not just because I'm held accountable then and there, but I also perceive that people will take things less personally online in a forum setting.
Also, how many times have you had an fight IRL and then the next day feel badly about how you reacted and think, hey, maybe the other person had a point? Real-time interactions are just absolutely horrible for making someone take a step back and think logically about something, including myself. My own experience is that I can be a lot more cool-headed online so that accountability isn't as much of an issue because of it. Maybe I erroneously think other people are the same way too.

I can see your point, which is why, like you, I try to act in a responsible way online. Though in my case, I have no problem calling a person out and making them look like an ignorant jackass if they are completely wrong about something, though that's probably because I am a fierce debater by nature. Online I am little different - I calmly and maturely debate my points but I will not hesitate to call you out if you are wrong. Of course, the emotional aspect is important (as you note), when you see a person IRL and you see them as more than just a bunch of text, the emotional aspect of it does become more important because you associate a human face with it rather than whatever caricature you envision in your own mind.

By the way, it's Bynary Fission, not Binary. :P

[Cavernio]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

You're bi, got it.

[TC_Halogen]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

I used to think of myself as that shy person when it came to anything that was going on, but as of recently, I've found it easier to talk to anyone about anything. I'm not quite as of an introvert as I used to be. Like awein said, the internet partially extends into your life.

As far as IRL v. online -- in real life, I don't mind being a conversation starter if the person I'm talking to has a common interest but has a hard time feeling their way to chatting it up. I won't really approach a random person and start a conversation if they seem like they are rude/aggressive/completely uninterested. I'm also a (little) bit more blunt online than I am IRL in serious discussions, but get me engaged enough and I'll be pretty relentless in certain thoughts.

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

It really depends on the people around me. If I'm around a fun group of people or a fun event, I can be hella fun. If not, not so much. Plus there's only so much you can do.

Let's see. I try to avoid homeless people IRL whereas that's not an issue online. (No, I don't hate them, but I can't help them and they always want money or something, then look at you like you're a horrible person if you didn't give them anything. Plus I don't really want one of them following me around or something)

Online is a lot less sucky than RL.

I don't like certain types of ignorant or stupid people. Fortunately there is less of that on the Internet because most of the most stupid don't even use computers. So just remember for every incredibly stupid poster out there, there is someone even more stupid who thankfully isn't online.

The primary thing I hate about Facebook is it brought a huge amount of people who otherwise wouldn't even consider using computers and/or hate computers online. That is precisely the wrong group to be bringing online XD.

[NeoMasterPie]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

my irl and online personalities are the exact opposite

xd leonid so professional irl and silly online (mostly, and this is from my impression....)

i'm more outgoing online, but once i get to know someone my personality online pretty closely matches my irl one when i'm around them

[Spenner]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

I'm a lot less expressive, open, and social all around IRL. I just can't communicate in the same way as I do online, though I'm working on it. I can put thoughts into written words in a snap, if only I could do that with spoken words.

[Xiz]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

Closet Brony. But irl im actually a really likable guy. Got a girlfriend, great job, Deans list in college. Life isn't bad.

[Sky Kitten]

Re: IRL vs. Online personalities

I'd say I'm the exact same. Except now I'm more open to people than I was a few years ago.