01-21-2016, 09:58 PM
I have been a member of a number of forums, generally of the free speech/trollish variety although I've never considered myself so much a troll as I have occasionally been painted. I have a devilish sense of humor that can work people's nerves but organized destruction was never my thing. Seemed a waste of time.
I like Mock because it contains interesting people and is a community, not just a bunch of random posters. I have been a part of forums where I took steps to try and gather the most interesting sorts I could find on the net, and had varying degrees of success, but something like what goes on here must occur naturally or it inevitably collapses under its own weight. This I have discovered to my own disappointment. So I came back here, electing to spend my energy contributing to a forum that already contained the essence of what I was trying to build, and hopefully make it stronger in the process.
As far as meeting people and/or talking differently online... I have never made a distinction between online and so-called "real life interactions", and the persona I portray online is every bit the person I am. Warts and all. I have migrated a couple forum friends into facebook territory and more genuine friendships, and wouldn't be adverse to meeting anybody from here or elsewhere. Probably a result of the number of real life upheavals, but I've never had a problem with strangers or approaching new people. For me, forums are simply one long ongoing correspondence with multiple participants, and I read each person's entries as part of a larger whole, a volume of work that over time gives me a very clear and accurate picture of that person's character.
I like Mock because it contains interesting people and is a community, not just a bunch of random posters. I have been a part of forums where I took steps to try and gather the most interesting sorts I could find on the net, and had varying degrees of success, but something like what goes on here must occur naturally or it inevitably collapses under its own weight. This I have discovered to my own disappointment. So I came back here, electing to spend my energy contributing to a forum that already contained the essence of what I was trying to build, and hopefully make it stronger in the process.
As far as meeting people and/or talking differently online... I have never made a distinction between online and so-called "real life interactions", and the persona I portray online is every bit the person I am. Warts and all. I have migrated a couple forum friends into facebook territory and more genuine friendships, and wouldn't be adverse to meeting anybody from here or elsewhere. Probably a result of the number of real life upheavals, but I've never had a problem with strangers or approaching new people. For me, forums are simply one long ongoing correspondence with multiple participants, and I read each person's entries as part of a larger whole, a volume of work that over time gives me a very clear and accurate picture of that person's character.
Thank god I am oblivious to the opinions of others while caught in the blinding splendor of my own cleverness.