Forum personality = real world personality?

[The Bear Jew]

I dunno. I think I'm basically the same. I never thought about it. The only difference between my online and in-person personalities is that in person I make faces and lots of strange noises while I'm talking... and I use the f-word a lot. Other than that, I think I'm the same -- loud-mouthed, full of shit, opinionated and WAYYY too talkative. Sounds about right, doesn't it? BTW, I've met Flyscots, Sylver (& his lovely wife), Curve, Tom Capasso, Ben Loy (both from the bass forums) and the handsome, talented Wewus in person. They were all very sweet, friendly people... exactly the way you'd expect them to be. I think I kinda "knew" these people from their words before I came into physical contact with them, anyway. Either that, or I'm just dumb. Probably a bit of both.

[Dak Lander]

Heh, I'm pretty much the same jerk here as I am in person, along with being opinionated and set in my ways.

[Jedi]

You forgot Jedi, Erik. And Erik's pretty much the same. Very funny, cool, and talented guy. but not too bright :D . (kidding) very smart as well.

[Botch.]

I always thought Real Life would be so much better if it came with a "backspace" key... I'm probably about the same in real life as here, with the exception that if I'm in one of my down, "don't-wanna-talk-to-no-one" moods I just don't log on; don't have that option if, say, I've got a date at 7:00. ;)

[NMcGuitar]

The medium is different, so how things get interpreted is bound to change... That said, I [i]think[/i] I'm pretty much the same here & in the "real world". The only real differences I notice is that I am a little less "talkative" in the forums. Maybe 'cause I've got a minute or two to figure out what I'm going to say [i]before[/i] my mouth starts running. Let me ask [b]Tedster, Rim, Jedi & lrossmusic[/b] : you met me last week, what do [i]you[/i] think? Since I usually hang in the Guitar Forum, Ted is the only one I felt I "knew" beforehand. He was very much like I expected, except maybe even a little cooler & funnier in person. As for the rest, reading their posts [i]now[/i] sounds pretty much just like the people I met (and that's a great thing with these guys!). My $0.03 ( [i]inflation[/i] ) ;)

[Dan South]

[quote]Originally posted by Kris: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Dan South: [b]Well, I *hope* that I'm the same person online as I am in person - that's my goal, anyway. It's difficult to see yourselves as others see you, though, so if anyone who has met me in person would care to comment on this idea, it may be enlightening. :D [/b][/quote]I met Dan South in person and I must say that my mental image of him before we met was NOTHING like the guy I actually met... whatever that means!!![/b][/quote]Heh-heh! There you go! You think you're just being yourself, and you give an entirely different impression. :D What did you THINK I looked like, Kris? :eek: Hmm, let's see. Forum members I've met. Craig - exactly as expected, sincere, reserved, brilliant Geoff Grace - like Craig, exactly as I expected him to be, a really nice, bright, talented guy. Great looking wife, too! Dave Bryce - I actually thought that Dave would be kind of gruff and curmudgeonly (sp??), but he's really friendly in person. And energetic to a fault. Like a nuclear reactor with a beard. :D Valky - She comes across as so wise and accomplished, I thought she was in here late 30's or so, but she's just a sweet young thing and a delightful dinner companion. Jan Folkson - He doesn't say much, so I didn't have an impression, but he's really passionate about his work and his gear, esp. Pro Tools. dgauss - exactly the same in person as online, a smart alec, and I mean that in the most brilliant and entertaining sense of the phrase Kris - such a small guy for the BIG sound that he makes. I've said it before, Kris is one of the most talented performers that I've ever met, but you'd never know if from his quiet, polite demeanor. Nika - matches his online personality, informed, to the point, opinionated but not cocky, very open with his knowledge Magpel - another match of the online personna, jovial, engaging, loves sports. Tom Capasso - kind of reminds me of a New York version of Craig: tall, bespeckled, soft-spoken, warm personality, generous smile Joe McDonough - Joe's a type-A sales/marketing guy, but he's an engaging conversationalist who makes you feel like he's really talking to you, not positioning himself for a deal. Nice guy. mzeger - Mark's a little reserved online, but he's very engaging in person. A great storyteller.

[Dan South]

[quote]Originally posted by NMcGuitar: [b]Ted is the only one I felt I "knew" beforehand. He was very much like I expected, except maybe even a little cooler & funnier in person.[/b][/quote]Ted is COOLER in person??? How can that statement POSSIBLY be true? :D

[NMcGuitar]

[quote]Originally posted by Dan South: [b] [quote]Originally posted by NMcGuitar: [b]Ted is the only one I felt I "knew" beforehand. He was very much like I expected, except maybe even a little cooler & funnier in person.[/b][/quote]Ted is COOLER in person??? How can that statement POSSIBLY be true? :D [/b][/quote]I know... it's hard to believe, but it's true!

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

[quote]Originally posted by Dan South: [b]Joe McDonough - Joe's a type-A sales/marketing guy, but he's an engaging conversationalist who makes you feel like he's really talking to you, not positioning himself for a deal. Nice guy.[/b][/quote]Have Joe tell you about the time he accosted me in a bar in Nashville and drunkenly berated me for not having come through with a promise to advertise on the Forums. "Wash up, Jeshff? You said youzegonna run bannersh and I been waitin and deysh still no bannersh. Wash up?" :) Actually, don't bother, he won't remember! :D Joe's a nice guy and a good sales rep who follows through on his business. Always good to work with. - Jeff

[The Bear Jew]

[quote]You forgot Jedi, Erik. And Erik's pretty much the same. Very funny, cool, and talented guy. but not too bright . (kidding) very smart as well. [/quote]Fuck! Sorry I didn't mention you. I miss you, ya crazy Zen Bastid! Jedi is definitely the same guy in person as he appears online. Very cool and mellow. He's got his head on straight.

[KenElevenShadows]

Great thread subject! I think I'm pretty much how I am in person. Not too different. I've met several people in person, and they generally come across like they do online except to say that I have to completely agree with Stephen LeBlanc's observation of himself that he does not come across as arrogant in person. He came across as a really down-to-earth, cool guy to me, and not hostile or arrogant at all. So far, all the people that I've met from here, I've really enjoyed meeting.

[Wewus432]

jefe: I don't have time to read this crap but I appreciate, I mean understand your motives. You're a good guy and all but you're full of shit. I'm sorry what was the question?

[KenElevenShadows]

TheWewus is great in person, too.

[Boggs]

You'd have to ask Phil O'Keefe or Valkie about me for a more honest appraisal. I am generally a pretty quiet guy, especially when I am low man on the totem pole with respect to experience on a topic being discussed. I am not afraid to share an opinion I might have, but I always try to leave room for others' opinions, especially when they are presented in a gracious fashion. I think I am pretty much WYSIWYG in person as I am here... Boggs

[Philip OKeefe]

I see that silent Bob has been heard from... has anyone met him in person? Is he as talkative in real life as he is here on the forums? ;)

[meccajay]

I gotta say, my personality here is quite different than what you get in real life! I post at work, and while I do I handle my customer base. My posts become rushed, mispelled, unfocused and even crude sometimes( I got 2 calls while posting this). Every once in a while I take a nice long time and get my thoughts across. Seldomly though. The other major difference is that in the real world Im really kind of a hack comic. I live to make folks laugh. It's who I am...totally. At work I play with rubber yo-yo's etc. At home I have my 3 stooges/Monty Python/Tom Green video's to get me by. Not to mention some vintage Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor albums put on Minidisc etc. In the studio, when others are around...I am the poor man's Chris Rock. Session's just go better with comedy. Often when Im reading my posts here and Im like WTF? My tone seems so unlike me at times. But I guess this is also a real side of me...the distracted side unfortunaetly.

[boosh]

[quote]Originally posted by Silent Bob: [QB][/QB][/quote]Are you back again?? Damn if anything gets me mad it's someone who doesn't speak! Just like women who don't talk back but just turn their head away when in an argument. SAY SUMTHING WEIRDO!!! ;)

[jeffbayson]

[quote]Originally posted by Silent Bob: [/quote]Bob, I admire your courage in sharing this with everybody. I think we've really made a breakthrough here.

[Silent Bob]

;)

[Wow]

I'm a DICK in real life too. :wave:

[offramp]

"I can be pretty intelligent, somewhat funny and occasionally a prick. And I talk too damn much for my (or anyone's) good." Jeff...mind if I co-opt that? Maybe switch it around abit: "Pretty funny, somewhat intelligent"? :wave:

[Magpel]

Online Dan South is a great facilitator. In person, he's a little more soft spoken than I expected him to be--not shy or reserved by any means, but I would say his online persona is a bit more forceful. This is not to imply that I know the full range of his character, just what I've observed from two enjoyable dinners. When I met Dave Bryce he was working hard at AES. I didn't want to impose on him, but I wanted to stop by the ADAM listening room just to say hello, thx for the forum, see you online. I didn't even really get a chance. When he saw my name tag, his face lit up and he gave me, well, a bear hug. (Followed by a nice ADAM demo). That Bryce, he's a spark plug for sure. Terrific guy. Other than that, I've met Geoff (just as classy and positive as you know him to be), Jan Folkson (really knowledgable, funny, generous with his experience) Mark Zeger (worldly, dedicated family man) and that's it. I've also collaborated in cross-continental electronic fashion with absentee forumite Cameron Bobro. Great guy, and brilliant. I think I felt a touch of trepidation when these e-Lationships(TM) first started crossing over into the meatworld, but now it's just another source of personal enrichment and valuable connections in my life. Bring it on. I look forward to meeting more of you.

[phaeton]

yep.. i can be the same asshole in real life that i am online :(

[Dan South]

[quote]Originally posted by Magpel: [b]Online Dan South is a great facilitator. In person, he's a little more soft spoken than I expected him to be--not shy or reserved by any means, but I would say his online persona is a bit more forceful. This is not to imply that I know the full range of his character, just what I've observed from two enjoyable dinners. [/b][/quote]When you're sitting here alone with the computer, you can blab and post, blab and post, and if anyone cares to, they can read your blabbing and post back. Everyone gets their chance to say something; you don't have to stop talking to give someone else the floor. At a dinner, if everyone talks at once, no one benefits. So, in those situations, I try to keep my mouth shut long enough for others to make their points. You have to take turns, or it's too chaotic. Mag, you and I have to have dinner with the Weasel and SteadyB sometime. I guarantee that I won't be so gentlemanly. :D

[GZsound]

One problem with lists like this is that there is none of the usual visual clues we have come to rely on when we have conversations with each other. Some of you know each other personally and it is obvious you cut each other some slack because of the personal relationship. I have the difficulty of not knowing any of you and thus I have to develop my own idea of what you look like, what you do, what your experiences are, etc. And it can make things beyond difficult. The same is true for your impressions of me. I think it would be really interesting to post our descriptions of each other based solely on our posts. I often wonder what or who some of you think I am... As to my on line and off line personality I may be too kind on line.. But in person I can tell if you are getting ready to hit me...

[Super 8]

Hmmmm... Well, I've met Flyscots. He's the same nice guy in persons as he is online. For myself? I'd have to say I'm probably pretty close online to the guy I am in person. However, I am probably more quiet and reserved in person than online. I can be pretty talkitive and then very quiet within a short space of time. I doubt that would come across online. I also am probably less hardlined in my opinions in person than I appear online. I'm actually a pretty good listener, and pretty open to diverse points of view. I doubt that aspect of my personality would come across online. Interesting topic!

[flyscots]

You know, I was planning on starting a thread very similar to this - good topic! ;) Thanks to my travels this summer I have now met [b]24[/b] people from the MusicPlayer forums. I wonder if that's some sort of record outside of Moderators & trade shows!? (Not all of these meetings have been on this trip however) Also, I have had the pleasure of spending a lot of valuable time with a fair few members aswell as collaborating with some - so I feel very qualified to comment here. However, I probably met at least half of these people in person before I had really communicated with them online, so I have a different viewpoint than most. I may aswell start with [b]Super8[/b] seeing as he just posted this: [quote] For myself? I'd have to say I'm probably pretty close online to the guy I am in person. However, I am probably more quiet and reserved in person than online. I can be pretty talkitive and then very quiet within a short space of time [/quote][i]Exactly![/i] I agree 100% with that self assessment! I was expecting him to be a bit more lively and wacky like he is online, maybe after a spending more time with him he would be. He is a very nice & likeable fellow, one I'd love to get a chance to spend some good time with. [b]Dave Bryce[/b] said: [quote] I'm a tad more animated in person. [/quote]Erm, just a tad Dave! Mr Bryce is one of the most enthusiastically animated characters you're ever likely to come accross. He does match his online personality but with added facial expressions and hand movements that can be priceless! A fun person to be around! [b]Stephen LeBlanc[/b] admitted: [quote]I probably come off more egotistical on-line than in person...most of the time I'm mellow and kinda humble[/quote]I can agree with this. Stephen is one guy who surprised me a little in person - he's a much nicer guy than I expected! (Hope you know what I mean and dont take that the wrong way!) It was a pleasure spending time with him and I hope to get togheter again soon - I'll be e-mailing you about that Stephen. [b]Dak's[/b] being silly: [quote]I'm pretty much the same jerk here as I am in person.[/quote]Another wonderful guy with time for everyone and a heart of gold. Dan South (who I havent met, yet) says about [b]Valky:[/b] [quote]She comes across as so wise and accomplished, she's a sweet young thing and a delightful dinner companion. [/quote]Which I totally agree with. I see people have realized that [b]Tedster[/b] is even cooler & funnier in person. This is very true. Ted is one of the finest people on the planet. Since I was at his place I've been calling him 'Uncle Ted' because that's kinda what it feels like being around him - like he would be the perfect Uncle! Great live performer too, with plenty of his famous wit onstage inbetween songs! Another perfect gentleman is [b]Phil O'Keefe[/b] who in person is [i]EXACTLY[/i] the same as he is online, 200%, more than any other forum member I've met. I really hope we can get together again soon now that I'm back in Southern California. [b]Bunny[/b] has all the same characteristics in person as he does online, although he is much more laid back in person, much quieter than you'd think. A funny guy, one to share lots of laughs with. I like this quote from NMcGuitar: [quote] reading their posts now sounds pretty much just like the people I met[/quote]I know what you mean, it adds a whole new perspective once you've met someone for real. I'm gonna stop now or I'll end up having a page to myself! Sorry to those of you I havent mentioned yet, I will if this thread continues. John Scotsman

[lrossmusic]

NMcGuitar, Before our dinnier last Thursday I hadn't visited the guitar forum much so I wasn't familiar with your posts. Now that we have met I will do a search and become acquainted with your online personality so I can make a fair comparison. In person though you seemed like a laid back kind of fellow with a good sense of humor. It will be interesting to see how you come across online. Most guitar players I have met are funny guys even though they often play too loud. :D That could be another revealing thread. "How does your stage personality differ from your real and online alter-ego's ?"

[Rog]

I think I'm nicer in person. It's easy to vent online, especially in the political discussions. Also, I post from work a lot and if I'm having a bad day (which is most days) it's hard to keep that from working it's way into my posts. Timmy2000 is the only guy who has met me in person. He's a lovely fella :thu:

[Tusker]

I haven't met any of you in person. But I feel I know you. I hope to meet all of you sometime. I know the online personas are a little different. I know I'm feisty/combative/assertive in Craig's forum and I'm a ewe lamb in Dave's. But regardless of the personality variations, I believe that character comes thorough. Some aspects of human behavior are just not mutable. Kind people are kind. Dependable people are dependable. I think the biggest reason I hang around here, is because I like you as people. Jerry