Assumed persona

• What makes cyberspace interesting? by John Suler, 6/26/97
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    • Fantasy by W Clark, 7/18/97
      
      

My observation is that some people find the online world attractive because t it permits them to be "something else." A person who is by nature shy in person might become gregarious online because he/she feels freed of otherwise constraining inhibitions. Perhaps it's because of the relative anonymity, or detachment, of this medium--it seems to stimulate some people to express themselves without feeling the customary social constraints.

I have met a person online who suffered severe mental trauma and became unable to deal with the "real" world. The online world proved to be a therapeutic device for this person, permitting them to regain their self-confidence by participating in online conversations, which led to more personal conversations, which eventually led to 3-D meetings. Finally, they have re-entered the "real" world--and they attribute it in no small part to their online exchanges with others.

TWB

• woof, woof by Juno, 10/7/97