# Are you different IRL than you are online? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 15, 2000, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617 "2000-05-15T23:51:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KimKatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@KimKatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KimKatt)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/21 "2000-05-16T13:49:14Z")
This is the real me. I think I wisecrack a bit more IRL - I have a sarcastic sense of humour, and much of it requires a tone of voice that I can’t quite get across here. And I do wish that real life did have a delete key. Of course, IRL I am 3 dimensional. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/22 "2000-05-16T13:50:08Z")
I’m devastatingly handsome IRL; confident, outgoing, able to charm little children, school librarians and motorcycle cops; witty, kind and gentle to a fault and yet manly and forceful as the need arises… …IRL does mean “Imbibing Regular Libations” right? _BTW, my real name is also spelled xenophonetically…_ ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/23 "2000-05-16T14:36:32Z")
I’m less of a pixle IRL. More…3D. Other than that…nope. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/24 "2000-05-16T14:45:56Z")
IRL, I am a small, liberal, black woman. On the SDMB I am a lanky, Republican, white guy. I think I carry it well. ---
**Author:** ![aenea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@aenea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aenea)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/25 "2000-05-16T14:48:45Z")
Nope. Sorry! 😃 Well, maybe a little nicer online. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/26 "2000-05-16T14:56:52Z")
I’m just as big an \*\*\*hole IRL as I am here. ---
**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/27 "2000-05-16T20:44:20Z")
Interesting that many of you are more outgoing online. I’m more outgoing and flirtatious (with a wicked, devious sense of humour) IRL than I am here. Maybe it’s because I’ve made such a fool of myself on a few MB’s and newsgroups that I’m much more careful here. Who knows? Maybe it’s just my winning smile! ---
**Author:** ![rubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@rubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rubes)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/28 "2000-05-16T21:01:51Z")
I think I’m probably more entertaining irl, and I am avoiding ICQ and the like for fear of being sucked in again. Currently this is the only place I post, and I probably should spend more time crafting my questions and replies to make me more entertaining here, but i digress ---
**Author:** ![SingleDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SingleDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleDad)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/29 "2000-05-16T21:15:03Z")
I’m a bit less pendantic and intellectual IRL than I am here, but that’s only for lack of opportunity, and the limitations of verbal as opposed to written debate. I also tell a lot of jokes IRL. ---
**Author:** ![GreenEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f9ae1b/32.png) [@GreenEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenEyes)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/30 "2000-05-16T21:34:56Z")
Hmmm a good question! IRL, until I get to know someone and feel comfy with them I tend to be a bit more quiet than online…other than that, what you hear, read is what you get… ---
**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/31 "2000-05-16T21:40:49Z")
[hijack] Hey, GreenEyes, welcome! Always nice to see another SoCalDoper. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![CanadianSue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@CanadianSue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanadianSue)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/32 "2000-05-16T22:16:26Z")
I’m pretty much the same here as in real life. ---
**Author:** ![xekul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/838e76/32.png) [@xekul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xekul)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2000, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/33 "2000-05-17T08:36:23Z")
If anyone frequents the channel in Undernet, you’d know that I usually sit there silently lurking or sleeping. I’m much worse IRL. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2000, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/34 "2000-05-17T14:41:31Z")
In real life my brain is kept in a flowerpot. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2000, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/35 "2000-05-17T14:57:11Z")
You guys are familiar with the term “Staircase Humor,” right? Meaning the clever, witty, absolutely perfect thing to say that suddenly strikes you as you’re on the stairs, leaving? I think that’s something we all benefit from online…we can sit staring at the last post like slack-jawed yokels for ten minutes until a funny remark occurs to us, then type it in quick. Whereas IRL we’d just sit staring at each other like slack-jawed yokels. ---
**Author:** ![struuter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@struuter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/struuter)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2000, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/36 "2000-05-17T15:46:46Z")
I, too, am much more reserved OL than IRL. Being new to this, I find I am terribly intimidated and hesitant to voice anything. I’ve followed the board for so long and become so familiar with the various personalities here that I find myself second-guessing the responses–or lack thereof–and tend to edit myself too heavily. Because all I get is a written chance at expressing myself, I become shy about it…very unlike my RL self. Hopefully, I’ll get better as time goes on… ---
**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/37 "2000-05-17T16:22:32Z")
IRL, I am very clumsy. I think I am the same both OL and IRL. Really, I am outgoing, verbose, opinionated, and outrageous in either context. Although IRL, I think my humor comes across better, since I tend toward physical comedy. I am like the girl on the five star commercial, always tripping and falling. And I am very flamboyant with my gestures, which go along with my humor. Like Ike said, it’s easier to be verbally witty for after I can think for a while. Although every once in a while, I astound myself and others with my wit! Examples of stupid things I have said in past few weeks: 1. You just suck it and it pops! - about parafin paper 2. I have gravy between my legs! - real gravy, from dinner, came across poorly. 3. I can’t wait to be raped this weekend! - simulation rape for my self defence class. Of course, the poeple on the bus did not know that. And guarenteed, if there is a staircase with a hot guy on it, I will trip. If there are a lot of people around, I will stumble. If there is a giant rock on the ground that I spot from 20 feet away, I will trip over it. Guarenteed. So OL and IRL balance themselves out for me. I am less funny OL but I am much more graceful. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2000, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/38 "2000-05-17T17:37:57Z")
In real life, I am very introverted and loathe being the center of attention. Online… you make the call. ---
**Author:** ![soulsling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@soulsling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulsling)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2000, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/39 "2000-05-17T17:39:48Z")
i’m definitely not looking good on the MB IMO, but IRL i think i come off as better then i think of myself 😕 mostly about the MB 'cause i feel so intimidated by the atmosphere being so filled with genius. I also don’t use so many acronyms and initials IRL. ---
**Author:** ![dragonlady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@dragonlady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragonlady)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2000, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617/40 "2000-05-18T02:08:38Z")
IRL I am even more me than online. Sarcasm is tougher, as is inflection, but I just post the first thing that pops into my head, just like IRL. My real life volume is probably higher. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-different-irl-than-you-are-online/19617.md?page=3)