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The Internet: It's what's for dinner.
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)
Posted by: Null Actor
In light of the recent happenings on the forums, I would like to take this moment to bring you all an important public service announcement.
THIS IS JUST THE INTERNET.
This is not real life. This is just a place of words. Like anything else; webpages, forums, chat. Words. Just words.
Now, you are thinking "Of course it's just words, what, do you think I'm stupid or something?". Well, that depends on you.
You see, the internet is a place of anonymity. You have no personal stake in anything that happens on the internet (with the exception of people who are actually trying to make money off of it, but that's a whole other ball of nose goo). If you think you do, then I think you should get out more.
You log on to the net, and you interact with many people whom you don't actually know. I mean, sure, you may know this or that about them. In theory, you might even know as many facts about a person on the net as any friend you have IRL. But you don't know them. They are a name, a string of words, an interactive I/O device. They could be a magical AI sitting in some crazed programmers closet, and you'd never know.
Now, consider: If you don't know these people (and you don't, so don't try and kid yourself), what is the point in trolling, flaming, insulting, demeaning, or otherwise attacking a bunch of words on the screen?
Now, obviously, the lesser majority of the people who use the internet use this anonymity and lack of consequences as a license to stupid. But you don't have to be one of those. You can be one of the better minority of the people that use the internet as a reasonable place. Anonymity comes with many freedoms, good or evil. You can do whatever you want. I use the anonymity as a conduit for honesty. I have no reason to lie, none of you know me. However, in that same vein, I don't pretend to be anyone other than myself. I have no reason to pretend to be someone different, I don't care if a name on the internet thinks I'm this or that.
But no matter what, I don't treat the internet like real life. The two are nice and separate. Now, this doesn't mean that I throw away everything I've learned in my life and act like a five year old throwing a tempter tantrum. It just means that I don't consider anything that 'happens' on the net to be of any real import. I don't hold 'grudges', I don't deal in 'politics', I don't 'gossip'. The quotes are to signify that these things that happen on the net can only vaguely fit those terms, since none of it is really real.
Now, obviously, like anyone, I'll occasionally slip and forget that the internet is not life. However, I try to keep it at an absolute minimum. I have enough to deal with in real life, without wasting brain processing cycles dealing with what some name on the internet posts to a message board as if it were real.
Now, I urge you all, learn that the internet isn't real.
The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.
Posted by: Shalome
 Quote:
Originally posted by Nova Z
but that's a whole other ball of nose goo).
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Nova, you are barred from using the phrase "nose goo" ever again. Eating Chinese food at 2:30AM and reading the words "nose goo" is not a good combo. 
Quote:
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lack of consequences as a license to [i]stupid[/i
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Heh.. where can I get my "license to stupid"?
Posted by: Swilo
Things are only as real as you chose to make them.
Posted by: Null Actor
Quote:
Originally posted by Shalome
Nova, you are barred from using the phrase "nose goo" ever again. Eating Chinese food at 2:30AM and reading the words "nose goo" is not a good combo.
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What, did I cause you to spit half chewed noodles all over your keyboard and monitor? If so, I'm happy to have had the desired effect! The whole post was made so that I could cause someone, somewhere, to spit food all over the place. It's been my entire ambition in life. Now that it's accomplished, I can die happy.
Oh, and you already have your license to stupid, like everyone else on the net. You just choose not to use it.
Stupid is something that should not be treated lightly.
Posted by: Swilo
I'm going to stupid you upside the head.
Oh no, I'm using adjectives as verbs now too.
Posted by: redwench
nooooooovaaaaaaaa. time for your medicine sweety. where are you nova? come on, dont hide from wenchy. you know it will make you feel all better.
oh, there you are. temper tantrum over?
*holds nova down*
*injects nova with a massive dose of thorazine*
there you go schnookums. want some candy?
Posted by: Chako
What you see is what you get with me. I am the same online as I am off line. I don't change my
behaviour to suite some infantile need to lurk unknown etc...
As for what you see online is but a simulacrum of reality, but isn't...well....I view things
differently. After interacting with many on these boards..I can get a fairly good handle on the
behaviours, attitudes, and possibly, level of maturity of those I interact with. Likewise, I am sure
that others do the same.
The net is a means of communicating. It does offer a sense of anonymity...but that cloak is hard
to wear after many postings. Certain trends show up, and they are difficult to hide, or cover up.
Hence...yes, the Internet is composed of just words...however, words can reveal many things.
Hence...the net isn't just words...it is about people communicating. There is a difference.
Now, is it as good as talking to someone face to face....hell no. We derive many visual cues from
facial features that we just don't pick up with online communications. Besides, I am sure I am not
the only one to think that those smilies are pale imitators at best.
Yes, online communication is but a pale imitator of actual face to face communication. Yes,
because it is a pale imitator, it is only 2 D in retrospect. It isn't even as good as a telephone call
because our voices carry many inflections that we can interpret as "additional information".
However, one can carry this to the extreme and say that even typed text carry some of that
"additional information" based on grammar and spelling. But I won't go there, nor wish to
anytime soon. 
I will agree though that it is healthy to separate the two (real life and the Internet). That is just a
wise thing to do. Those who have difficulty separating the two are setting themselves up to
disappointment, and ultimately, to an untimely demise. We hear about people who take the net
too seriously and decide to end it, or run off to meet a complete stranger for the sake of love,
companionship, or whatever. All societies have week minded individuals, and frankly, these are
the ones we sometime hear make the news. But to blame it on the net, as with games is ludicrous.
If such mediums of expression did not exist, these sorry people would find something else to end
it all on. Anyone remember when D&D was the rage. We all heard about some who took that
too personally, and went over the edge...sometime with dire results. And that was just an
example. You can use the same argument for wrestling, teenage mutant ninja turtles, or any
media/video/music/reading materials.
Anyhow, I think I typed enough for today.
I would be interested in knowing what the "recent happenings" in these forums mean. I know I
haven't been able to visits OTS as regularly as I would love to, nor read all the postings like I
used to due to my busy schedule that is work related. Am I missing something here? I hope I am
not part of the problem because I complained about Altron's avatar that would give me a
headache.
Posted by: TotalRecall
What do you mean Chako?
l33+ 5p34k c4rr135 muhc 3m0+10n! (See, i'm smiling...no, really!)
Posted by: Tweaker
Sometimes statements made in the forums can be taken out of text and such cause hard feelings. I learned in the past to not jump at conclusions, sometimes what you read is not what they meant. So it's a good idea to not take anything said here or anywhere else in forums too seriously.  As I had to learn in the past. 
Posted by: Chako
Lee+ 5pE@k i5 3m0+10nl...trU3...8U+ iT 1$ 4 major p4iN in tH3 J00 KNOw wh4+ +0 unDeR5+@ND, rE4D, 4ND dEC1PHeR. 0H wAIT.....D1D 1 jU5t +Yp3 th1$ 0Ut...@CK...903$ 0ff In @ c0RN3R @ND Cr1e5.
Posted by: Ion Silverbolt
I think there are too many variables to determine whether or not someone is really like how they post in real life. I think for the most part that the net magnifies what a person feels or is thinking because there are no reprocussions to most actions that would get you in trouble. It's a lot easier to accuse someone of being arrogant or stupid on a message board than it is to say it to their face in real life for example. For the most part, I think the net brings out a persons true self which is usually hidden in society for fear of what others will think.
Some people use the net for nothing but to vent their accumulated frustrations and troubles because no one really knows them so there's no fear of being judged. In a way I have learned a lot about life and people from the net. Like not caring what other people think about you. Once you can do that, your soul is free. Worrying about what other people think of you just makes you a slave to their will.
Some people use the net to role play to become someone else though. However, i'm more inclined to believe people like that are just being themselves which they don't get a chance to in society.
Posted by: Fenix2004
Mindboggling. I just see the internet as entertainment. This site and the sites i visit entertains me. The instant messaging lets me socialize. I can see it could sort of be life because a lot of people have jobs on the net...
Posted by: Shalome
Most of my friends have an @ in their name.
Seriously, though.. I use the net as a social outlet, since my life situation at the moment is kind of confining and I had to leave all my friends behind to have this job..
Posted by: AngstMerchant
See, it's the anonimity of the Web that makes it so important. When you remove all consequences, you see the true nature of people. The only consequence of social interaction on the Internet is to be judged by your peers and you can shut off the flow of communications from any individual. So, there are NO CONSEQUENCES involved with chat, threads, etc. And I see people being crappy to each other on line all the time because of this aspect of net interact. I guess it just makes a sad commentary. 
Posted by: Gunslinger
I seem to be the opposite of a lot of people.
I do not view the internet so much as a social outlet. I prefer to stick to real life as a means of social interaction (all about personal preference I guess).
The internet for me, is a means of exchanging information, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, news. That doesn't mean I'm totally devoid of a social aspect on the internet, but I tend to exercise that through gaming - gaming being my means of online social interaction.
I suppose this could shed some light on the recent event(s) that are being referred to. Differing opinions can be easily reconciled. Differing philosophies are quite a bit more abstract - and volatile.
Posted by: Null Actor
Quote:
Originally posted by AngstMerchant
See, it's the anonimity of the Web that makes it so important. When you remove all consequences, you see the true nature of people. The only consequence of social interaction on the Internet is to be judged by your peers and you can shut off the flow of communications from any individual. So, there are NO CONSEQUENCES involved with chat, threads, etc. And I see people being crappy to each other on line all the time because of this aspect of net interact. I guess it just makes a sad commentary.
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I agree. At least, I know in my case it's true. I'm exactly the person I am on forums, as IRL. Any comments I've ever had directed at me on forums aren't dissimilar to ones I've recieved IRL.
And you are right... it is a sad commentary how people act on the net.
Posted by: Nfested
Quote:
Originally posted by Nova Z
I agree. At least, I know in my case it's true. I'm exactly the person I am on forums, as IRL. Any comments I've ever had directed at me on forums aren't dissimilar to ones I've recieved IRL.
And you are right... it is a sad commentary how people act on the net.
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Yes, and most of these people who act like said behavior are the 10 year olds that plague the forums.
Posted by: AK47
Cmon people. We all know what the internet is really used for.
Porn and Shopping.
and god bless it! The internet makes shopping with your pants down acceptable.
Posted by: Tweaker
Quote:
Originally posted by AK47
Cmon people. We all know what the internet is really used for.
Porn and Shopping.
and god bless it! The internet makes shopping with your pants down acceptable.
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Posted by: Swilo
Proudly 100% pr0n free. Always have been, always will be; it simply holds no worth to me.
Shopping is good.
Posted by: AltronHGX
Quote:
Originally posted by AK47
Cmon people. We all know what the internet is really used for.
Porn and Shopping.
and god bless it! The internet makes shopping with your pants down acceptable.
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*wipes tear* You said it man. *sniff* You said it.
Posted by: Rayneeday
Porn and Shopping? Porn and Shopping?
OMG, you mean you can go shopping on the internet?
Hehe, I guess I view the internet as a social interaction.
I don't have to put on make-up or dress up and I can be myself. I am not so stupid as to think that everyone I meet on the net is exactly the way they seem, but i have found several people that i would consider nominally a good friend. Not like I consider my best friend i have known for 25 years, but good enough that i can talk to them about problems I have and expect them to give me some advice. After all, I don't have to take it Also the internet makes it alot easier to keep in contact with old friends who have moved away and family who live other places too.
Well, back to my porn and shopping
Posted by: The_Druidess
You all have good points but I tend to lean more to what Ray there said I mean I had no idea i could shop over this thing .Oh and the social part though I do not do so as of late why well partly cause im tired of people THINKING they know me and dont and partly heh to get my shit together.Ray pm me want info on my step fam
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