Are you who you claim to be?
By jtownesquire
@jtownesquire (104)
United States
March 20, 2008 1:08pm CST
It's a simple question. Are you the person you claim to be?
Do you tell people things that aren't quite true to make yourself look better?
Do you outright lie?
Do you claim experience or background that isn't true to appear a certain way with the people you interact with?
Do you also then claim to be an open, honest person who doesn't care what people think about them?
I think this is especialy prevalent online. Online you can be whoever and wherever you want. You can claim to be an executive at a major corporation.....you actually are the manager at the local McDonald's. Not "completely" untrue. You are a "manager" at a "major corporation".
Do you really think it is that important to some people to have the "respect" and "admiration" of strangers online even though that "respect" and "admiration" is for a person that you truly aren't?
4 people like this
14 responses
@cynicalandoutspoken (4725)
• United States
20 Mar 08
I once heard somewhere that all rumors were based in truth, so I think that can also apply to a persons persona as well.
I complain about people on welfare screwing the system ALL the time. Why? Because I lived with not being able to collect benefits for myself when I needed them for my family because "I made too much money".
I complain about stupid people ALL the time. Why? Because those are the people who get special accommodations made for them daily and are screwing up the collective gene pool for the rest of us.
I truly DON'T care what ANYONE thinks of me. Can you tell that is a problem in my every day life?
I am me. It has taken 29 years of he11 and more bullshiat then you would ever find in a 40,000 acre pasture for me to become the woman I am today and I don't see the need to hide who that is from anyone.
Usually upon meeting me someone would describe me as independent. A good quality, right? Well it usually doesn't take that long for that independence that someone could easily find a good quality to be described as something not quite as appealing.
I am who I am. Take me or leave me, but don't try to change me.
1 person likes this
@jtownesquire (104)
• United States
20 Mar 08
Interesting response, but I fail to see how it addresses the questions raised.
1 person likes this
@cynicalandoutspoken (4725)
• United States
20 Mar 08
Ok let me try to simplify this for you.
Are you the person you claim to be?
Yes I am.
Do you tell people things that aren't quite true to make yourself look better?
No. I don't care what I look like to other people. If I get complimented on a picture that is 5 years old, I tell them the picture is 5 years old. But it isn't like I flaunt all of my bad qualities either. Or maybe I do. I guess that is all up to the opinion of the person who I am talking to.
Do you outright lie?
Only to those people who believe that omission is the same as a lie. But otherwise I'm pretty honest and upfront with people about everything they care enough to ask about.
Do you claim experience or background that isn't true to appear a certain way with the people you interact with?
No. I don't pretend to be someone I'm not or have experience in things that I don't or could care less about.
Do you also then claim to be an open, honest person who doesn't care what people think about them?
I claim to be an open honest person because I am. But to maintain that ability I cannot allow myself to care what people think of me because usually after being on the receiving end of my honesty they don't like me nearly as much.
Do you really think it is that important to some people to have the "respect" and "admiration" of strangers online even though that "respect" and "admiration" is for a person that you truly aren't?
Whatever floats their boat. If it makes someone feel better to pretend to be someone they aren't online to gain "friends" respect and admiration then so be it. Everyone likes to feel appreciated. If this is the only way someone knows how to accomplish that then its not my concern or my business.
@axle_shockhits (460)
•
21 Mar 08
me too! i am me but do try to be polite most of the time! i see no reason to impress people you will never meet or have a working relationship with. you can usually tell the BSers.
@pumpkinjam (8767)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 08
The simple answer to that is YES, I am exactly who I claim to be. I may omit certain information or tell someone something in a way which makes it seem better.I AM a totally open and honest person and see no reason not to be. There is not really anything about me I would need to hide. I do however believe it is possible to be too honest and I think that is where I fall down on such things as job interviews. Take me as I am or not at all. I do not outright lie, in fact I don't recall ever outright lying (I'm sure I must have done at some point in my life but not recently).
If I deserve respect and admiration for the person I am then that's great but if I wouldn't respect or admire anyone if I found out they lied about who they are. Your example of manager at McDonalds would be acceptable because it's not exactly lying but if someone told me they were an executive manager for a big company but they were actually a toilet attendant then that would be an outright lie and would not be acceptable.
@CoupleinLove (31)
• United States
20 Mar 08
whats the point in lyin bout who you are online? i guess if ur like some 400 lber with zits all over yer face an u haven't left ur house in 10 yers then sure u will prolly lie bout who u are.
but what does it matter to ya? its not like u plan on meetin any of these people offline and hookin up with them or sumthin or do ya?
@jtownesquire (104)
• United States
20 Mar 08
The question(s) were posed to try to find out what the point of lying online is. Why do it. Even if you are some 400 pounder. That is who you are. Why lie about it. Why tell people you work a great job if you in fact sit at home. Isn't part of taling to people online grounded in the fact that you can be who you are?
@gxnfly (1147)
• China
21 Mar 08
I can say I am who I claim to be.I am an honest person,I seldom lie to anyone,even on the internet.It makes me feel uncomfortable if I lied to someone,even on the internet.
Actually I don't believe person I met on the internet.All the people I got to know on the internet turned out to be a big liar at last.So I don't belive it anymore.Maybe I am not lucky enough to get to konw some good nice honest people on the internet.
I really don't understand who boast themselve on the internet.It seems ridiculous to me,I see no need to lie about myself on the internet.It's just a waste of time.Even if you lied to someone,they all find out sooner or later,and that's not good.
Maybe some people brag themselves just to gain some respect,improve their self-esteem.But I don't think that's the right way.It just make people look down upon you.You gain respect from others for being honest ,not bragging.
@jtownesquire (104)
• United States
21 Mar 08
I think your experiences are a large part of the issue. If people do lie and you ultimately convince someone that the lies are true....wouldn't it stand to reason that if you met the person/people, the resulting recognition of the lies would be even worse?
If you intend to meet someone you know from online, lying about who you are makes no sense. It's not like a 5 foot 2 guy is going to grow to 6 foot 4 overnight!!
I think it's interesting that everyone who responded says they are who the claim to be online, but your experience shows that can't really be true. If everyone were honest, you wouldn't have met liars.
@firebug24 (8)
•
21 Mar 08
I would love to say I didnt lie, but thats a lie within itself. IS it right to lie? Morally no. Because someone always gets hurt. I would not engourage lying. But if i absolutly have to do it, i would remember what i have lied about,s o i wouldnt get caught.
I always lie on my CV, does that count?
@wisedragon (2325)
• Philippines
21 Mar 08
No I don't lie about myself. I'm not a salesman so I don't feel a need to force people to like the real me. I'll tell you who I really am. Take it or leave it. I have enough family and friends who love me anyway.
And I don't think it would feel good if people like you for the person you project instead of the real you.
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
21 Mar 08
Heck no. I'm not a fake even on here - the internet. I am who I say I am and I believe exactly what I tell you I believe. I don't believe in hiding behind mommy's skirts and pretending. I am what I am and that's that. I don't go around hurting people and expect the same in return. I will stand up for what I believe in no matter what the consequences. So yes I am who I say I am. Cheers!
@betsyraeduke (2670)
• United States
21 Mar 08
Yes, I am who I claim to be. No, I do not tell people things that are not quite true in order to make myself look better. Generally speaking, I think everyone lies sometimes, but as a general rule of thumb, I do not make a habit of outright lieing in my offline life, and I have never outright lied online as I have never seen the point in that. I do claim to be an open and honest person for the most part because I am; as for not caring what people think of me, I think that is a completely separate issue. I do care what people think of me to a point, and again, I think everyone cares what people think about them to a point. Some people care more then others about this, but everyone does care to a point. By that I mean, I think everyone wants to be loved and or respected by someone and no one wants to be hated by everyone, so everyone cares what others think of them to a point. I do not think it's important to have the respect and admiration of strangers though, and I would not lie to achieve it.
@cortjo73 (6498)
• United States
20 Mar 08
I am the person I say I am. I am a female, 35 years old, married, no children, 3 cats and 1 dog, I live in Georgia, I had open-heart surgery when I was 5, I fell out of a tree when I broke a branch I was climbing when I was young and it knocked the wind out of me and, I might have a slight fear of heights as a result, but, only when combined with tight spaces. I love Big Brother. It is my favorite show. But, I also love Ghost Hunters, CSI (hate Caruso though), Criminal Minds, Supernatural, GH, Prison Break (am infatuated with Wentworth Miller) and a crap load of other shows. I work for a small company...just me and my two bosses, one outside sales rep and some licensees. I am a natural blond who colored my hair dark brown in June and haven't gone back.
I have never misrepresented myself as I wouldn't want others to misrepresent themselves to me and, I believe in Karma so, why lie when it will bite you in the butt later on?
@beccarose (121)
• United States
21 Mar 08
I don't lie about who I am.
If I talk to someone online that I don't know I act myself, but I don't have to tell them every little thing about me, thats not lying.
I am who I am... Thats all there is to it.
@bradhart (659)
• United States
21 Mar 08
I am every bit the person I claim to be... who the hell would want to claim to be me?
For the records I am not now nor have I ever been a secret government assassin no matter what rumors a few people I know might have spread about me based on things I said while drunk.... *snicker*
@kezabelle (2974)
•
20 Mar 08
I am who I am, im honest about that to anyone who cares to ask. I wont lie to make myself better I mean I think all lies will trip you up in the end so in that respect you wont end up looking better but rather stupid.
Im a nusery nurse for example no need to dress it up its what I do i dont pretend to have a glamourous job that doesnt leave me covered in baby sick at the end of the day.
I dont care what random strangers online think about me that to me is not important, what is important is those who love me know the real me and love me for that anyway, that know my faults and still want to be around me, those who are important to me I care about their opinions of me but I still would not change or lie about myself simply to make myself look better not even to a loved one so id certainly not do that online.
Those who matter will like you care about you no matter what faults you may have so its never a worry to me about what people think, and like I say random strangers well in a couple of hours il switch this laptop off and go to bed il not be giving it much thought after that.
@alexdra77 (147)
•
20 Mar 08
No! i dont tell people things to make me look better. i tend to stick to the concept of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". I like honesty in all cases be it good or bad.
