Usernames: The power of choosing who you are
 

My sister didnt like her name, i dont know if it was because she didnt like who she was, or what people saw in her, but she hated it (nowadays she is more relaxed concerning that topic :) ). She chose to call herself differently in all her games and plays with her puppets.
I have to admit that i looked down on her for that, i couldnt understand that urge to try to have another name.
But what it was is what is really going on right now.

I looked at a recent post i made, i saw my name, Larzan, and i felt that I had contributed something.
...
But what happened was that i posted my opinion under a nickname that was given me 18 years ago by some french buddies of mine in one of these situations we all know, where you come to meet new people and in a flow of events that noone can predict everybody ends up with a nickname that noone else outside of that situation or group can understand.

I started using that nickname when i discovered the internet because it was nothing like anything my friends would call me or identify by (back then). It assured my anonymity and gave me the possibility to be whoever i wanted.

So my point is, how different is what we are doing here, posting our opinions an interests under an assumed name from a 10 year old girl playing with barbie and ken and projecting herself in a phantasie world, hiding behind a venician mask of anonymity.

btw, nowadays even my friends know my online alias and Larzan has become not my second identity but a part of me and a calling name.
My real life merged with the avatar i created, i wonder how it must be for the next generation, who dont know a life without internet and social networks.

How do they keep the distance?

Who are we?

Re: Usernames: The power of choosing who you are
 

I would imagine your sisters desire to be like someone else is perfectly innocent and largely a normal development process. It's probably not a healthy thing if it becomes an obsession to the point where one gets depressed about it, but it is normal to do this to varying degrees right throughout life.

Every nickname has a story, I wouldn't attribute something as arbitrary as name preference to a fantasy though, at least not frequently. Just like in real life, people don't walk around with name tags on, same as the internet, people value their privacy.

If I walk up to a complete stranger on the street and ask for a name, chances are pretty good they'll tell me to bugger off. Internet, same as real life. People protect their identity through the use of aliases.

We as humans have been doing this ever since humans became human. The internet is just one more outlet for the whole nickname thing. It's all been done before good sir : )

Re: Usernames: The power of choosing who you are
 

My daughter of eight asked my father a couple of months ago the following question: "grandad, how old was daddy when you gave him his first mobile phone?" He smiled and told her "your father was old enough to buy one".

Just to illustrate that the next generation can't imagine life without internet, mobile phones, etc. Simply because they haven't experienced it. While they grow up, it is there and a part of their lives.

As far as keeping distance between real life and internet, it all depends what you teach your children. My daughter knows there are good things and bad things on internet. And for now, she listens and asks if she can play (innocent) Barbie-like games. But there will come a time when she will be questioning why we won't allow certain things. That too is part of life and the fate of parents.

But I like to think positively on this subject. Not because she is very intelligent (this year it was ascertained that she has an IQ of 164), but because we are open on what can happen. And I believe that being open is the key.

Re: Usernames: The power of choosing who you are
 

And knowing what is going on i guess. I dont mean spying on your daughter, but being aware of the things you can do in the internet and keeping yourself informed.

Imagine what kind of things there will be in 10 Years, how people will connect themself, what ways there will be to get lost in cyberspace.

Today it is Facebook and Co, who knows what we will have then, i guess something even more "real-time" like videofeeds from your phoone or something similar?!? Cant wait to see :)

Re: Usernames: The power of choosing who you are
 

Oh absolutely. What is common today won't be tomorrow. And still I will look over my daughters shoulders from time to time to see what she is doing ;)