Saturday, February 14, 2009

Multiple e-Personalities

Recently, I heard another blogger comment about meeting someone in person and finding they're not at all the way they make themselves appear on their blog.

Huh.

I had never before wondered how people who read my blog "saw" me. I had assumed that my laid-back personality and slacker-mom-inisms would shine through each post I wrote.

I assumed my casual yet disciplined approach to parenting and my "B+ is good enough" style would be blatantly apparent.

I never stopped to realize that only a few facets of our complex personalities are portrayed through our posts - that the small parts of our lives that we write about don't provide nearly enough of a window into a person's real, true "self". And because we tend to write about the same types of things over and over again, we may reinforce those views simply because we don't happen to write about different topics.

Now I'm wondering:
  • Do you ever consider the type of picture you paint of yourself online?
  • Do you find yourself being more honest on the Interwebz than you are in real life?
  • Or do you keep things closer to your "e-vest", given that you don't really know your online friends?
  • Do you think you've somehow made yourself out to be more perfect/classy/intelligent, or more free-wheeling/spontaneous/fun, either on purpose or inadvertently?

What sort of image do you feel you portray online, and how does that compare with how you are in real life?

Cuz I just really want to know.

17 comments:

Alli Worthington said...

Great question- I am told often that I am much more serious IRL than the Mrs Fussypants persona. I think that happened accidentally because I'm not a good writer, so I rely on my fun side for ideas for my personal site.

Or I'm just crazy.

Either one.

Hee hee

Melissa said...

I have a mouth that would make a sailor blush! Seriously, I cannot complete a sentence without using the F word. BUT- I dont write that way on my blog. Only because when they kids are old enough to read the blog I dont want a bunch of bad words being every other word.

SECRET AGENT MAMA said...

I think that I am the same on my blog as in person, except maybe I'm skinnier on my blog. LOL

Bobbi Jo Nichols said...

I am me! Some people like it some don't. I am a happy busy person. I often wounder what people are like in person. I would hope they would be themselves on line as well as in person. hmmmm that is a great question. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Anonymous said...

I am the same. I'm the same woman online, the same woman at church, the same woman at work and the same woman out and about with my friends. Many of my readers are friends of mine I see regularly, and I've never had any of them say anything different.

I recently had an old friend (who I've never met in person) tell me through chat that she sees the same woman in me every place I am. I'm thankful for that.

I talk too much, I'm awkward, I swear, I drink, I go to church, I sing too loud, I overshare and that's just who I am. *shrug*

Zoeyjane said...

I haven't met that many people who knew me via the blog, first. But those that have - it's been like they already knew me, as far as I know. No comments otherwise were made, anyway.

Maybe they were scared I've go off on them. That'd be kind of like my blog, right?

morninglight mama said...

Interesting question... From my perspective, I think I'm pretty much the same on my blog as I am in real life... I have several real-life friends who read regularly, so I should ask them if it's an accurate picture. :)

Anonymous said...

I think I appear to have more to say on the blog than I do in real life. Because I post up to several times a week, it may appear that I'm chatty and personable, when in reality I simply am not that talkative.

Unknown said...

It's funny that you should ask that.. I'm no different on my blog than I am in real life.. Everything I write stems from my real life encounters, relationships, etc.... I don't think that if anyone met me they would be dissappointed that I'm a different person :)

Kate said...

Good question Colleen. I too have IRL friends who read my blog (prob that's MOSTLY who reads it) so I think I'm pretty much the same ONline as off. I've had people tell me they can practically hear my voice in my writing, it's so ME.

maggie said...

I've actually found every blogger I've met (and I've met quite a few at various points in different situations) to be pretty much what I expected. I think I'm pretty much the same online and off, but there are definitely things I wouldn't share publicly where folks like potential employers might read, even if I'd tell a bloggy friend such a thing on the phone, if that makes sense. Interesting to ponder.

Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect said...

I think I'm myself online, but I'm maybe not ALL of myself. (If that even makes sense?!) I have different parts of my personality that come out at different times, and I think the more extroverted, positive, witty (I hope) parts are what come out online, whereas there's more to me than just that.

Good question. :)

NicEmMOM said...

I think that I am the same person, maybe a little more reserved now than in person. That I am sure will change.... You my dear are the same in real life as you are in your posts... TTFN

Esther Crawford said...

This is a tough one because ultimately each reader / viewer makes up their own mind. I feel like online I'm basically the same person - the one big difference is I usually soften my opinions online because I know that I can't ever fully explain myself like I could in person.

Unknown said...

I have met 8 bloggers in the last couple of months - 4 while I was in Trinidad. I have found all of them to be just as they are on their blogs - no surprises and no disappointments. And I don't think I'm any different on my blog than I am in person - although my comments on other blogs might be a bit bolder than I have the courage to be face to face. You can't hit me if I'm not standing right in front of you. I'm just sayin'.

Anglophile Football Fanatic said...

I think I'm much more forthright on my blog. I'm rather shy in person initially. It's going to be interesting this weekend with the convention to see if I'm right.

Heather said...

This IS a good question. I've thought about this before and have come to the conclusion that the blog is just one more venue in which I choose to present a side of myself to the public. My job would be another venue and church, if I went regularly, would be yet another.

I think I portray myself as relaxed, fun and sarcastic. I can be all of those things at times, but I think in real life, especially at work, I'm tense, dry and detached. I'm really not great in crowds so we'll have to see how I do at BlogHer!