Am I really who you think I am?

United States
September 29, 2015 6:20pm CST
When we are in cyberspace we can be anonymous if we want to. We can tell the truth, the whole truth or partial truths. I could tell you I was VP of a financial institution before I retired...how would you know if that is the truth or not? You would have to make an assumption and run with it. I don't know you, maybe I've seen your name and your face at other writing sites and I assume you are the person you portray. But are you? I don't know and if I question you about yourself you can continue the charade if you so desire. As of right now you may know a few things, or think you know them, about me. But who am I really? Do you know?
23 people like this
19 responses
• Canada
30 Sep 15
I guess it's true, but that would be a lot of work to carry on the farce, don't you think?
7 people like this
@rebelann (112770)
• El Paso, Texas
30 Sep 15
Not really if you simply keep it simple then no one knows you're not spillin out your guts.
4 people like this
@valmnz (17097)
• New Zealand
30 Sep 15
Love it. And when there is no photo to go with the name, it's really hard to make assumptions. I like that now AbbyG has a face :-) if it really is you of course
6 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
@Cheilamarie78 - some people have nothing better to do with their time so they play games (and I don't mean candy crush!) @rebalann siimple to some is more difficult! @valmnz - its me, but that photo is about 8 years old and that was Abby and she's been gone 4 years!
4 people like this
@jstory07 (139523)
• Roseburg, Oregon
30 Sep 15
You never know since the person is just a picture and name online. The female could really be a male. They could be half the age that they say they are.
@rebelann (112770)
• El Paso, Texas
30 Sep 15
Or even twice the age they claim.
3 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
Exactly what I'm saying. I've met several people in person so they can't get away with faking it!
3 people like this
@rebelann (112770)
• El Paso, Texas
30 Sep 15
Wow @AbbyGreenhill you're brave, with all the stories I've heard I wouldn't dare.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (135920)
• India
30 Sep 15
Here we are only concerned with what we write. If you tell lies about you then it is your problem. This is no site for selecting our partners.
4 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
I think people who 'tell lies' about themselves will admit it.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (471253)
• Switzerland
30 Sep 15
It is impossible to know well (and for sure) someone we meet online. I am following you from a bit of time and on different sites, I assume you are who you say, I am who I say to be.
4 people like this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
8 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill look at m y picture on my facebookwall. I havelong white hair and wear a wild sweater and i look my age so no denying im elderly lol lol
2 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
LOL - I'm glad we 'know' each other a while!
4 people like this
• United States
8 Dec 15
@Hatley I will look on FB to see what you are saying.
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
30 Sep 15
I know build elaborate webs around themselves, and who knows everyone may polish the truth up a bit, but I can't imagine trying to create a whole fake me online, and then remember what I had said, way too much work
4 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
Yes, it's easier to remember the truth than a lie
3 people like this
• Centralia, Missouri
30 Sep 15
@Susan2015 I can do things like that, when there is a limit to where and when. I used to Roleplay online. I had a spec chara for that, and a backhistory and all kinds of things. But everyone RP'd there, we all knew it was fake, and we all knew bits of each others characters, rather like being someone in a play.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41387)
• United States
30 Sep 15
@AbbyGreenhill Absolutely. There can be a million lies but there will always be only one truth.
2 people like this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
30 Sep 15
You are quite right, it is easy on-line to hide behind a mask. You could just as easily build a fictitious persona as share a real one. Though I would imagine if you have a false persona, keeping it consistent over long periods of time might be harder to do than telling the truth. We can choose what we share and what we keep to ourselves, nobody forces us to spill out our guts.
3 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
Yes, very easy to hide and I would imagine we've all run into people who do it and we just don't realize it.
3 people like this
@rebelann (112770)
• El Paso, Texas
30 Sep 15
And people wonder why I never post pics of meself, all I can say bout you is that ya love kritters, of that I am sure as for the rest well, I look at it as bein none of my bidness.
2 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
That photo of me is the only one on my computer or in cyberspace and it's an old one. Yes, kritter lover, most kritters anyway.
3 people like this
@fufurinha (11930)
• Portugal
30 Sep 15
I guess that we never know anyone 100%, not even ourselves.
3 people like this
• United States
1 Oct 15
your right in the cyber world you just never know its the world of pretend
2 people like this
@tomford (135)
• Richmond, Virginia
13 Oct 15
that's the whole idea behind cat fishing, lucky for me I have seen a majority of my friends on web camera so I know its them I'm actually talking to . the other parts of their life they don't have to share its enough that we are at the level of friendship we are. if they have things that they think I don't need to know or they want to keep private that is perfectly fine.
2 people like this
• United States
13 Oct 15
I think everyone should be careful how much personal stuff is shared on line.
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
30 Sep 15
For an average internet user, there really is no way of knowing it. Anonymity makes it easy for a person to be someone else when they interact on the Internet.
2 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
@1creekgirl Go for it, I live in the south but I'm not southern or 30 - so you have one up on me!
3 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
I think I'll pretend that I'm 24 years old and a tall blond
4 people like this
@1creekgirl (41387)
• United States
30 Sep 15
@AbbyGreenhill Yes, I think I'll be a 30 year old Southern Bell. Always did love Scarlet O'Hara. Well, I am southern but way past 30!
3 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
i jest had to giggle, ms. abby! there's a certain person 't 'nother site who professes that i actually reside in a penthouse apartment....in new york city. i reckon folks can portray whate'er they wish online 'n sometimes that's a most scary thought. noperz, i dunno who ya are in 'reality', but'd sure not mind sittin' 'n visitin' with ya on the porch to find out.
2 people like this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
1 Oct 15
I know what you are saying is true, and there are folks out there that do that, .... I'm not one of them, as, I like people to like the real me, not some made up persona...
2 people like this
@Jushwa (23)
• Philippines
30 Sep 15
Well, we'll never know. Still I do my best to just avoid the assumptions and just enjoy my time here.
2 people like this
• United States
30 Sep 15
Then you aren't nosey?? LOL!
2 people like this
@artemeis (4194)
• China
7 Dec 15
I believe even in real life we can never know who the opposite really are until after some time or too late. So it is no surprise when it comes to online where we will not know what hit us. This is the very reason for throwing in that needed extra caution and not take everything all at one time. Let the other party play out and time to establish the facts, remember the opening lyrics of the song "Falling In Love With You"....Don't rush in. On the other hand, I always believe that there will be dire consequences when you start off trying to be someone instead of who you really are. Because time will play out and people will be able to see your true colors eventually.
1 person likes this
@artemeis (4194)
• China
8 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill That's why I hate to say that there's risks involved even when we are trying to make friends. We are sincere but we can never expect the other side to be having the same attitude. Sadly, this so very true.
• United States
7 Dec 15
If people act like stated in your second paragraph and only hang around a short time then they won't get 'caught'.
1 person likes this
• Preston, England
2 Oct 15
The internet makes the matrix seem normal. There is little to prove the truth or falsehood of so much we write here
1 person likes this
@sishy7 (27167)
• Australia
30 Sep 15
I believe there's always a degree of disguise with online personality.
2 people like this
@gregario888 (1276)
• Aurangabad, India
30 Sep 15
The word of mouth vouches for the face value. You have to believe a person when he/she says who he/she is.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
30 Sep 15
The cloak of anonymity can slip offsll too easily...
1 person likes this