On anonymity.
Many great posts on the merits of internet anonymity have been written and will be written. This will not be one of them.
Concerning anonymity among blawgers, Elle Finch Mariel – a 1l blawger at the University of Texas – wrestles with the pros and cons of anonymous blawging here and here, before deciding to do away with the masquerade here. Jansen, a 2L at the University of Minnesota, says anonymity is overrated. Anthony, a Columbia law graduate who used to maintain the famous Three Years of Hell To Become The Devil, says anonymity is useless. There is even a poll up at Teasingly Diverse on anonymous blogging.
I disagree with everyone who thinks anonymity is a waste.
Just kidding.
There is no practical reason for me to be anonymous. I disclose enough details about my life that readers could figure out who I am, if they wanted to. My real name is so common that typing it into Google will yield hits on many people who share my name, making it tough for potential employers to find details about me through search engines. Why, then, blawg anonymously? It’s cool. Or maybe it’s uncool. Either way, it colors people’s perceptions of my writing, making something bland a little less …bland.
Pretend you’re a boxer.
Friend: You’re next fight is against The Destroyer.
You shiver in terror.
Friend: His name is Qewbert Goobert “The Destroyer” Snufflecloud.
You scoff.
If your name suits your purpose, then nicknames become useless. But how many boxers are named Steely Arms; how many punk rockers are named I Bleed Rebellion; and how many blawgers are named Elle Woods? I don’t care about anonymity, but I think people would rather read about the adventures of i.don’t.wear.skinny.jeans than the life and times of John Doe.
Then again, if I had thought the pseudonym concept through, I should have called myself The Coolest Guy Ever.
Curious Classmate: Hey, are you The Coolest Guy Ever?
Me: Why yes, how did you know?
Dreaming of things that will never happen,
i.don’t.wear.skinny.jeans
You know, it’s not too late to change your alias. I mean, we’re pretty early into this blawging adventure. The Coolest Guy Ever is still a possibility. Just sayin’.
And yeah, I outed my first name, but my alias is just too cool to throw away entirely. Elle Woods bloggers are a dime a dozen. But combining Elle AND Atticus Finch? … Well, I thought it was clever.
That, and I don’t want to set up yet another gmail address. Cheers.
As much as I’d love to change the name, I’d never be able to live up to the hype if people found out who I was.
Student: Wait, you’re the coolest guy ever?
Me: Why, yes, y…
Student: Wow, that’s disappointing.
:) I like this post. If I had two heads, I’d like it twice.
I am sooo confused…
I love the fact that I am semi anonymous, you guys know enough but you don’t know my name, where I live or anything else with exception of my major, my school and what I look like. Granted i’d hate for someone to come up to me and say
“yo, you’re dee from Trial & Errors”
“yerp”
“you’re a dork”
lol but then again, i honestly don’t care. If you’re anonymous you have more to talk about then just yourself. Sometimes talking about yourself is over-rated.
I use to have a blog when I was in grad school and I remember during app season an applicant coming up to me and being like, are you ______?
I was like, whoa, somebody actually read that thing?