Im curious bout how internet and anonymity affects how people interact. Do you have the same personality when talking to someone online as you do in person? What changes in how you act/react to situations online compared to in person. This does not include personas that are intentionally made. Im going to be taking psych classes in collage next fall and thought this would be an interesting place to pose this question.

Outside of the web
My rhymes must ebb
I do not rhyme
All the time

No, but more seriously,
I do not argue as furiously

(I know that last rhyme was cheap
But I am half asleep)

I'm more of a dick offline because I don't have to worry about getting banned.

Raiden_Gekkou said:
I'm more of a dick offline because I don't have to worry about getting banned.

Sure you do, it's just called getting stabbed.

[inner self too introvert to respond with anything other than this]

It's possible that I'm not a toaster in the offline world.

I act differently depending on what group I am talking with. I'm not going to go shouting about how awesome I feel this specific piece of furry porn is to a gaming forum, just like I'm not about to brag about it to my grandparents. Overall, though, I think I'm a little more well spoken online, and definitely not as likely to 'talk' for way too long. Mostly because I'll type entire essays and then delete them because I rambled so far off topic that I couldn't even follow my train of thought if I cut out of the parts that didn't really fit or were to grounded in opinion. Whereas if I were actually talking, I wouldn't be able to just un-say whatever stupid thing I just said, and would have to take even MORE time to explain it. But that's more a result of text-based communication, rather than anonymity. And I don't really see the internet as anonymity, since people will still connect my words with my screen name. The fact that you could, with relative ease, look back at every comment I have made, every picture I have uploaded, and even every tag I have made or deleted on this website means that I am not really anonymous here, am I?

ippiki_ookami said:
Sure you do, it's just called getting stabbed.

I've only had 2 instances where a knife fight was imminent, but didn't happen. One stopped when some bullies pussied out because there was a cop walking up the street, and the second stopped when the other guy realized that I wasn't bluffing that i'd actually cut him.

I have been in a few fights though, but it seems like people these days are pussies who always back down at the last second before I can get any fun time in. I like to fight, but I hate when people lead me into thinking we're going to fight, just to puss out and leave at the last second.

Your insane thuggery is so impressive.

Im not quite the same person online as I am offline, but close. I find that not having the person or people im conversing with right in front of me makes me far less likely to become embarrassed and easier to carry on most conversations that in real life id probably stammer and trip up on. I guess it builds a little more confidence... Yet just because I cant see the people before me and I feel more comfortable doesnt mean I overexaggerate or lie, personality and behavioral im still me and I like to speak with sincerity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_disinhibition_effect

I act differently depending on the situation and who's around. I have some friends who hate furries, so I have to keep that in mind, and then I have other friends who are bigger furfags than me. But I mostly act the same offline as I do online...though I think online I have slightly better manners for some reason. :/

When I was little, I once asked my dad why people tend to act differently around different people. He said that like mirrors, other people are the only means we have of seeing ourselves, but always diluted through the personalities of others.

I used to go to anti-scientology raids with Anonymous where we'd all wear masks and what was interesting is that as soon as you'd put the mask on, you'd feel different. You could do anything because you weren't really being you, but instead some kind of high-powered internet superhero.
I've felt that the internet has much of the same mechanic behind it. We DO act differently on the internet, but is it because we feel free to be ourselves? or because we feel free to be someone else, without consequence?

Furmillionaire said:
Your insane thuggery is so impressive.

My thuggery is more impressive. I hit a dude with a box once. A box.

Furmillionaire said:
Your insane thuggery is so impressive.

Insane? I may have ADD but my mind works most of the time. I prefer the term "of selective mentality".

One has more sides than one thinks.

I exaggerate myself online because no one can find out how pathetic I really am... actually, I do that in real life, too.

Put no barriers between you and where you are.

Furry_Fanatic said:
One has more sides than one thinks.

Are you a circle?

Valence said:
Are you a circle?

I'm guessing a Klein bottle, actually.

Valence said:
Are you a circle?

ikdind said:
I'm guessing a Klein bottle, actually.

Clearly he's a trapezoid. :V

In life, I'm a reserved and stoic individual who has the respect of most who know him. Sometimes I come off as being an asshole because I have high standards though. Precisely why I'm gunning for a management position :V Also, I'm not nearly as sarcastic. When I'm not on the job, however, I range from dangerously charming to politely withdrawn. Always depends on the situation, yeah?

Anybody can browse through the comments I make here and on TGFB and see how I act online: a royal asshole.

I'm a sarcastic, bitter ass online. Hell, look at my record.
I'm a sarcastic, bitter ass offline. Hell, look at my record.

No, he's got to to be a tesseract

hmmm... I'm commenting after two self-proclaimed assholes. Offline, I'd just walk away.

I know on Xbox live, people are so ballsy in the way they talk KNOWING they wouldn't talk like that to someone in real life! I use my same personality nomatter where I talk! (Maybe I'm a little more perverted online though but that's different!)

Raiden_Gekkou said:
I've only had 2 instances where a knife fight was imminent, but didn't happen. One stopped when some bullies pussied out because there was a cop walking up the street, and the second stopped when the other guy realized that I wasn't bluffing that i'd actually cut him.

I have been in a few fights though, but it seems like people these days are pussies who always back down at the last second before I can get any fun time in. I like to fight, but I hate when people lead me into thinking we're going to fight, just to puss out and leave at the last second.

Ho' boy, watch out guys.

We got us a badass over here.
And as for offline personality, I'm slightly LESS snarky and less prone to immediate wisecracking - since my memory is decidedly more lax and dull, and I can't google things on command.

Otherwise, pretty much the same.

Well, I don't go around saying "Lol" in public and saying sexy comments left and right to everyone, (oh wait, yes I do) so I'm a pretty normal person offline. Online I'm a furry beyond anything else. I'd like to be more of a furry irl though.

I just make more song references when i'm not dicking around on the web. Im also about to lose my cool up in here, up in here.

I wasn't aware anyone cared.