# Are there schizophrenic's on the boards talking to themselves w/different usernames? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 26, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338 "2003-03-26T18:08:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/1 "2003-03-26T18:08:19Z")
Just an ovservation, but I have noticed several people on the boards sounding exactly alike in the way they post, what they post about, and specific views on certain topics. There was a thread a while back about “Who is your favorite SDMB triad or triangle or something like that” And it was about who you think could have different usernames, but are the same individual. So, if I am not opening too large a can of worms, who do you think might be the same individual using different usernames? \*\*schizophrenic was used in the OP not as a label but as a discriptor of behaviour. People mentioned do not necessarily have schizophrenia… ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/2 "2003-03-26T18:12:03Z")
You don’t need to use more than one user name to talk to yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/3 "2003-03-26T18:13:56Z")
Yes you do. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/4 "2003-03-26T18:18:17Z")
I think that **Gobear** and **His4Ever** tend to have _very_ similar views. It’s almost scary how much they agree on… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/5 "2003-03-26T18:22:55Z")
I’ve noticed that **His4Ever** and **Gobear** are like twins. It’s uncanny. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/6 "2003-03-26T18:23:21Z")
Hmm. I look at style, post times, and post counts. I’ve noticed when some people post, and others are not agreeing, someone commonly comes to the rescue. Of course this can happen and it can be completely legit, in fact most of the time I bet, but there are instances where the coincidence is just too thick. I find **Lib** and **Poly** tend ot have quite similar views. Then again, they are both quite ecclesiastic. Interesting about **Gobear** and **His4ever** … ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/7 "2003-03-26T18:38:34Z")
One person having two separate identities on the SDMB requires the use of a sock puppet. That is severly frowned upon. Very severely. And you should have used multiple personality disorder rather than schitzophrenia. Different things. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/8 "2003-03-26T18:38:49Z")
**Ethilrist** and I tend to post in the same threads quite a lot, only his comments tend to make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/9 "2003-03-26T18:57:41Z")
Schizophrenic’s can express multiple personalities, when in a fugue or delusional state. But that is not what the OP is about. And yes multiple personality disorder could have been used in the OP. What is a sock puppet, aside from the obvious? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/10 "2003-03-26T19:02:48Z")
No, they don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/11 "2003-03-26T19:08:27Z")
\<-----Adds obvious and necessary reference to Cecil Adams and Ed Zotti. ---
**Author:** ![Rue\_DeDay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/41988e/32.png) [@Rue\_DeDay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rue_DeDay)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/12 "2003-03-26T19:14:46Z")
A sock puppet is when one person has more than one accounts (with different usernames), so when said person has a view on a subject and no one else backs them up, their “sock” chimes in with “Yes, yes! What they said was right! I agree!” I think the people around here that “seem” the same on certain views are just showing an overlap (or “intersection” if you’re a big fan of Venn diagrams). On a certain topic they might say similar things (if not identical). But over the course of all their posting there are big differences. Ohter than that, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/13 "2003-03-26T19:26:00Z")
A sock puppet is when one person has more than one accounts (with different usernames), so when said person has a view on a subject and no one else backs them up, their “sock” chimes in with “Yes, yes! What they said was right! I agree!” I think the people around here that “seem” the same on certain views are just showing an overlap (or “intersection” if you’re a big fan of Venn diagrams). On a certain topic they might say similar things (if not identical). But over the course of all their posting there are big differences. Ohter than that, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/14 "2003-03-26T20:00:22Z")
A sock puppet occurs when a person registers under multiple accounts. When the primary poster offers a controversial position, the sock puppet is there to chime in with “You’re Right!, You’re Right!” if no one else does. Some people on this board are just very similar in their views. It would help if I could make a Venn diagram to show an “intersection” of opinion (I am a big fan of them). However, if you read all of the posts of each of the posters in question, then you will notice some distinctions. That is all I can think of right now. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/15 "2003-03-26T20:03:52Z")
I’m not sure I agree with **Rue** but **Hamlet** is right on the money. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/16 "2003-03-26T20:06:43Z")
And **Shagnasty** , where do you come up with this stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/17 "2003-03-26T20:07:34Z")
Okay, now I’m cracking up! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dr\_hermes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@dr\_hermes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dr_hermes)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/18 "2003-03-26T21:10:01Z")
Yes. No. Maybe. Leave us alone for a while… ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/19 "2003-03-26T21:14:38Z")
Hey! Do you mind? This is a private conversation. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338/20 "2003-03-26T21:53:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meatros \* > \*\*I think that **Gobear** and **His4Ever** tend to have _very_ similar views. It’s almost scary how much they agree on… > > 😃 \*\* My goodness, yes, it’s as if **H4E** were my other self as described in the myth of humans being divided by the gods from the _Symposium_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-schizophrenics-on-the-boards-talking-to-themselves-w-different-usernames/164338.md?page=2)