In Search of Anonymous
Have you ever thought about just who this person Anonymous is who leaves comments here and there in Blogdom? I asked a friend yesterday "Who do you suppose it was who left you that yucky Anonymous comment on your latest post?" To which she replied, "Who cares?" I’m sure that is the right response to this nameless, faceless person, but for some reason I do care.
Anonymity comes in various forms. Many people, like Velvet, are writing under a pseudonym to protect their identity from the subjects of their Blog. But Velvet replies to e-mail messages and I have met her in real life and have come to appreciate her as a real person with a face. Then there is the somewhat mysterious Cube, who has never revealed her true self to anyone. But once again, we know a lot of positive things about Cube. She is intelligent, interesting, and one of the biggest supporters of the DC Blogs community, even though she chooses not to show us her face. One of the latest intrigues is Bilious Pudenda, who is almost schizophrenic in the way he mixes vile comments with warm e-mail messages. But the name that still crops up most frequently is the generic Anonymous.
Some of us know immediately who Anonymous is when we find a such a comment in our Blogs. For me it is always my husband, who has taken offense at something I wrote about him or about us. He often includes a cute phrase like "I have it on good authority..." More often than not, I will pull the post before you have a chance to read it when this occurs. AlwaysWrite also knows who her Anonymous is.
But then there are a whole host of other Anonymous comments that are often hurtful and just plain nasty. I can see why these people want to remain nameless and faceless. I keep trying to create a profile for this group of Blog readers who seem bent on hurting or discrediting the author or other people who have made comments. Maybe I need to learn not to care, to just ignore the generic Anonymous...
Anonymity comes in various forms. Many people, like Velvet, are writing under a pseudonym to protect their identity from the subjects of their Blog. But Velvet replies to e-mail messages and I have met her in real life and have come to appreciate her as a real person with a face. Then there is the somewhat mysterious Cube, who has never revealed her true self to anyone. But once again, we know a lot of positive things about Cube. She is intelligent, interesting, and one of the biggest supporters of the DC Blogs community, even though she chooses not to show us her face. One of the latest intrigues is Bilious Pudenda, who is almost schizophrenic in the way he mixes vile comments with warm e-mail messages. But the name that still crops up most frequently is the generic Anonymous.
Some of us know immediately who Anonymous is when we find a such a comment in our Blogs. For me it is always my husband, who has taken offense at something I wrote about him or about us. He often includes a cute phrase like "I have it on good authority..." More often than not, I will pull the post before you have a chance to read it when this occurs. AlwaysWrite also knows who her Anonymous is.
But then there are a whole host of other Anonymous comments that are often hurtful and just plain nasty. I can see why these people want to remain nameless and faceless. I keep trying to create a profile for this group of Blog readers who seem bent on hurting or discrediting the author or other people who have made comments. Maybe I need to learn not to care, to just ignore the generic Anonymous...
posted by Barbara at 9:53 AM
4 Comments:
I get very few Anonymous comments on my blog, but I don't mind them. For the most part I know who they are: real life friends that are self conscious in having their comments attached to a name. I have one on my blog today, but I know who it is. In fact, she contributed one of the answers on the poll that I posted...even more reason to stay Anon. They really don't bother me, but then I have yet to be subjected to any vile ranting like Velvet and some of the others have received on their sites.
Because my parents were so active politically, we often received anonymous phone calls, hate mail - racist or antisemetic or both, once even a burning cross in our front yard. No kidding! That was in the middle of integrating Kansas City - quite a violent era. At that time, I believe choosing to remain anonymous was quite sinister.
But now, in this electronic age where there is no such thing as privacy (Velvet's credit card company knows more about her than we do, no doubt) I think there's actually value in deciding to remain anonymous, depending on a person's motivations. Because of my family history, it would be unethical for me to remain anonymous. People call me "brave" because I have an avatar that looks just like me, and use my real name. Why is that brave?
As for the viscious comments: sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Really. Who cares?
As for Cube, I believe she has revealed a great deal about herself. I know a lot about her, don't you? We've just never seen her. Cube is definitely not anonymous.
Sorry for such a long comment! Obviously I have opinions about this! See you later.
I do envy you that curiosity. I admit that I haven't thought too much about Anonymous, but I suppose she's out there, reading. I use my own name because secrets seem to get people in trouble.
Or maybe that's just me.
Until I had a blog, I posted comments as Anonymous but I always signed them "Kate." My comments were inter familia or friends of family because that was my sphere of bloggers. Sometimes I would put "Mother of Miniver" if I linked from his blog, but I had no need to remain Anonymous. Like WC I am not bothered by Anonymous comments if they are not destructive and I doubt whether that type of Anonymous commenter would choose your blog to rant and rave. Your writings are gentile, humorous, insightful, and incredibly literate!
Sigh.......attributes for which I strive!
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