Since the development of the internet there’s been a lot of academic research that has obviously ran parallel with it.
Lots of research has been done into ‘avatar immersion’ in social networking sites and online gaming communities. There’s also something known as ‘the privacy paradox’, whereby people often disclose intimate details of their personal lives and identity, while simultaneously claiming to be very anxious about their privacy.

I’ve only had the internet at home in the last 3 years, and I’m 44 this month. I first used it when at uni 14 years ago, when it was very basic, and since then I only used it in work, education, internet café settings, to browse, buy stuff on Amazon, e-mailing etc, it was a useful tool rather than an aspect of my personality. This forum for example, was the first one I’d ever been on.
I find it strange sometimes how the persona ‘Dogbreath’ has become spliced into my real life personality by a psycho-dynamic that I know is a bit of me, but also an outcome of a group dynamic often out of my control.

Both these threads continue to shape and reshape the avatar. I think my level of immersion is quite balanced, but I do have to stand back sometimes from the narrative or ‘biography’ that has accumulated over the last year or so, lest I get lost in ‘the role’…of a miserable, moaning old bastard – becoming a two dimensional algorithm who just reacts in a formulaic way.

I remember that when I first came on here, in my first thread, I had an argument with Leonid about the ‘authenticity’ of some of the subversive literature that I’d mentioned in my posts, thus was the die cast somewhat.
‘Dogbreath’ seemed a good avatar to adopt with which to rant about the social injustices of society – the lowliest mutt with personal hygiene problems, unloved and kicked by an uncomprehending world, who occasionally bites back. (Actually, a lot of this is true.)
According to the ‘research’, avatar’s or internet ‘persona’s’ can act as important developmental tools, especially in the young, to bring hidden or suppressed aspects of the psyche to consciousness. They can be used to explore boundaries and develop social skills that may be lacking.
There is a dark side however.
Because I came to the internet quite late, like a lot of people my age, I managed to develop other skills, rely on more face to face social exchanges, immerse myself in subjects and interests without the constant distraction and fragmentation of attention that I find happens on the net.
Strong avatar immersion strongly ‘correlates’ with narcissism apparently, and the offline self can get lost, and the only reality in the end is the digital avatar.
I find the use of single avatar user name identities that have been used by communities like ‘Karen Elliot’ and ‘Luther Blissett’ (as I’ve mentioned before), as a way to bypass the divisiveness and ‘over immersion’ or bullshit - which often occurs on networking sites – a useful way of making practical things happen in the real world. Real change, by force of a masked ‘community’ - a folk golem.

What happens a lot on sites like this, is something called ‘performativity’, where feelings of injustice and anger get released but never physically acted upon. It’s a safety valve. I’m as guilty as anyone, the net has made me lazy.
I just wondered if sites like this, rather than challenging the system in any significant way, actually strengthen it by diffusing the ‘negative’ energy that should be spent on attacking it properly.
But then again, it may slowly act as a word virus that infects more and more people, eventually reaching a tipping point – mass social change.
It seems that on here, people are more concerned with defending their avatar persona sometimes, than challenging the status quo. Even on Facebook for example, people are often very concerned with ‘profile management’. Reality is often very different from the mask.
Its easy for some people to get confused by the boundaries between real life and the internet when your stuck on it all the time and have never developed a personality ‘offline’ in the past.
Do you ever find yourself getting too immersed in your avatar, or even manipulated into certain ways of behaving because of the group dynamic and your role within it?
Maybe you feel imprisoned by your avatar, or have a large emotional investment in it?

To bastardise Proust: “There is a time to put the laptop down”.
…and get a real life.

DOGBREATH wrote:

I'm not aware of my online persona either being different from me, or developing in a way that doesn't run parallel with the real me. But then, who knows? In my effort to withhold certain personal details whilst sharing something of myself I suppose it's inevitable that Mr Livered is not a perfect mirror of myself.

Maybe it's narcissistic to inquire too deeply. To bastardise Wilde's Dorien Grey, "the reason I will not exhibit this avatar is that I am afraid that I have shown in it the secret of my own soul."

I feel that on here - the only online community I bother with now - I can only express a small aspect of myself. It's a very clipped form of communication. I think something in me likes narratives, but I don't think it's narcissism: more a need to share stories and a dialogue as a way of establishing a rapport.

For me, social networking is about collecting cardboard cutout personas as 'friends'; though I know some people use it to stay in touch with real friends. Some of my previous friends (too remote to visit) have invited me to join, but I just ignore them.

I'm old fashioned enough to think that if someone is that interested, they can write. If not, I feel quite insulted by what I see as a replacement for the real thing; a complete cop-out in fact.

The plastic has replaced the real in many ways, and it grieves me. It's very easy to mistake thoughts for actions, and if this is what is happening then we are all at fault. We can't talk things better, anymore than we can improve our health by thinking about exercise! Being online is sometimes better than going out though. For me, socialising usually involves a pub, and I don't want to go out every night. I tried joining a social club, but my God! They wanted to play badminton and go on 'day trips'. It all felt very false.

There is no real SleepyJohn, just me - but sometimes I am very sleepy indeed . Internet groups always seem to be assessed negatively by academics, who presumably look down on the whole thing, while helping to perpetuate it. I suppose group behaviour is always odd, offline or otherwise.

I think (to me anyway) that this is a "place" that I can "visit", and know that there are others out there who I would not normally be in touch with but still have some "similar" views with, it has not replaced my real life in any way, but it has enhanced it, simply by knowing that I am not the only one who has these thoughts and ideas, and reading through most posters threads and replies, I doubt if many on here would say that "this is their life" we in here are not a religion, trying to convert as many as possible to conform to our un-conformist views, this place is simply an open door and an open invite to anyone who who passes by, and want to either participate, or just "lurk" in the shadow, and in no way is it negative energy towards the nonsense that is abundant all around us,there is no negative energy towards change, the only negative energy I know of is apathy, where we cannot be bothered to talk about it and are less inclined to change any part of it, by being on here I feel I am changing me, to be aware of other points of view, and if I change "me" then "I am" changing society. I am not my avitar, its just a hat I wear depending on the weather.

I wonder if I do behave any differently than I would in a face to face conversation when online. I expect the answer might be yes even if I thought otherwise. That said I don`t give anyone my life history when I meet them for the first time anyway! There are simply somethings that get said and some that is not even when I know somebody well. That will also depend on who and what also. Maybe I am a bit shy in general and it takes a good while for me to have the courage to open up. So I don`t THINK I hide behind the avatar. But maybe I do!

DOGBREATH wrote:


Now, where is Ms A?

As for me, I try to be authentic. Well, I don't try exactly. My persona on here is much as you would find me in the 'real' world....I think!? Obviously the halitosis and flatulence aren't as obvious but hey, that's your gain. This is a forum; a place to discuss, debate, play, laugh and smile. I'm not one for sock play or anything of that sort. I can't be bothered with any of that malarkey.

But it's an interesting point to consider how the younger generation - unaware of a world before the internet - might be affected by this in terms of their psychological development. Sadly I think it might lead to even more neurosis. A distinct lack of patience has already emerged. Everything must happen NOW! Ten seconds for a webpage to download? FUCKING HELL!!! COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!! That will carry over into the 'real' world.

as my stepdaughter said when the power went out for a whole night a few years ago,

"what the hell did you do before the internet, I cant live like this!" (it had only been off an hour by then!)

My two boys (8 and 12) feel vaguely uncomfortable if we suggest a night in the garden, stoking the chimnea*. Darkness, stars, a slight chill, a chat in the firelight, and the odd satellite flitting overhead doesn't seem to be as attractive as permanent broadband and 150 channels of shite on Sky. Why's that then?

*This is not a perverted euphemism.

What a shame that they choose to miss out on that Bez

GADGET wrote:


I didn't see it, but recently there was a TV series in the UK where a group of 10 year olds went and lived in a 1970's type environment. Three television channels, no computers, some decidely dodgy hand held electronic games etc. I'm a child of the 70's/80's and reflecting on the changes between then and now I conclude their reaction must have been similar to your step daughters