# Question about Live Journal **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 2, 2005, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558 "2005-03-02T05:14:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/61 "2005-03-04T04:22:57Z")
Arnold, You certainly called me right on indulging in “everyone” when I bitched other people out about absolutes. That was petty of me. Also nob-headed. > [@Arnold Winkelried](#): > > Yes, my sarcastic remarks in MPSIMS make me the same as people lying, back-stabbing, accusing posters of being child molesters etc. over in the anonymous forum. And surely those anonymous people are no better than the con artists and petty thieves in our prisons, who in turn are really just as evil as the rapists etc. I trust we both know that this argument neither mirrors what I believe about rapists nor what I intimated about your sarcasm (and its magnitude in the spectrum of cruelty). ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/62 "2005-03-04T04:25:55Z")
> [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](#): > > Arnold, You certainly called me right on indulging in “everyone” when I bitched other people out about absolutes. That was petty of me. Also nob-headed. Steady on, **Cranky**. You’re going to be featuring in one of those “mod-licking” threads. Or is that your plan… ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/63 "2005-03-04T04:31:36Z")
I’m a disgrace to humanity? :dubious: Talk about hyperbole! Wait til my friends and family find out- I’ve hid it so well these 36 years. Not all anons are nasty, cruel, or insensitive. I’m basically a very nice, caring, nurturing person and my basic personality does not change when I visit there. My user name, also, does not come from a reputation of making trouble for those that don’t deserve it, and IRL. I’m not much of a trublmakr on the SDMB or the snark boards- I come here to think, play, and learn and making trouble would not further those purposes. Most of the people with such a negative view of those boards are people that have gotten snarked on. It’s criticism from people that don’t even know you- I wouldn’t take it so seriously. I’m not ashamed of posting there, and that’s not why I do it anonymously. I do it anonymously because of people like you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/64 "2005-03-04T04:43:32Z")
> [@trublmakr](#): > > I’m not ashamed of posting there, and that’s not why I do it anonymously. I do it anonymously because of people like you. 🙂 Then would you please revive the thread about me that died an early and unnoticed death? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/65 "2005-03-04T04:51:17Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > Then would you please revive the thread about me that died an early and unnoticed death? I don’t think I even think I read that one- if I did I don’t even remember it. When I see an outrageously mean, asinine statement on those boards, I don’t think how cool that anon is and how much I agree with them. I often don’t agree with them, and I think what an ass they are. But that’s funny to me. Maybe you don’t share my sense of humor, and that’s okay. I wouldn’t even call someone a disgrace to humanity over there- I think that would be too hurtful. I am _that_ nice. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/66 "2005-03-04T05:02:23Z")
I just had a very nasty experience with one of those snark boards. I found out like a week ago that someone had been posting under my Doper name (apparently for months), basically impersonating me and trolling. After I got a couple of pot shots and cryptic remarks on the Dope about it, somebody emailed me and told me I was getting puppeted on an LJ board. I went there to tell them whoever was posting under my Doper name wasn’t me and I just got called a liar. Then a couple of days ago the fake Dio showed up and admitted he was a fake and everybody just started calling him a liar and it really was me along, etc. There was really no point in trying to argue about it because it’s impossible to prove it wasn’t me. I’ve basically just asked them to at least not attack on the SDMB for what the troll did and so far they haven’t done that anymore. That place was a real eye-opener for me. I never knew there was such a seamy, hateful underbelly to this place. It literally made me physically nauseous the first time I saw it. Not all the posts are like that but it seems to be a hang out for at least a few really soul sick individuals. I don’t care that it’s there. I’m a free speech guy. All I ask is that people don’t pretend to be me. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/67 "2005-03-04T05:13:22Z")
**trublmkr** , you still haven’t toldme if you’re any relation of **phlosphr**? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/68 "2005-03-04T05:15:38Z")
Nope. Not related. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/69 "2005-03-04T06:05:01Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Well, no, it’s not ALL nasty. But I do think some people there go out of their way to deliberately hurt people. You’re telling me, I think there’s a “randomly insult Engine with an insult that makes no sense in the context of the discussion”. That said, they may say some mean stuff, but it’s not all that serious, and it’s interesting. > [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](#): > > FWIW, I have little interest in “who’s the ugliest doper” and IIRC that thread came close to dying with less than 4 responses Well it died out with 16 responses. But _only_ picked up after the one doper who had been mentioned in the 4 posts came over there to post a better picture of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/70 "2005-03-04T06:06:23Z")
" there’s a “randomly insult Engine with an insult that makes no sense in the context of the discussion” _button_. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/71 "2005-03-04T06:57:09Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I don’t care that it’s there. I’m a free speech guy. All I ask is that people don’t pretend to be me. Pppph. I’ve had people pretending to be me online and on IRC (even taking over accounts on message boards I since abandoned) since about '99. And it’s not even like you have a real-life relationship with your name here or on online in general. I have to deal with the rare emails from people wondering if it was really me that posted/said \_\_\_\_\_. Usually they believe me, sometimes they don’t. Ultimately you can do exactly all of jack and shit about it. Some guy I don’t even know made [a whole webpage to just poke fun at me](http://www.masterninja.com/toys/jin-scale/). Do I care? Fuck no. I think it’s funny. Get over yourself. I’ll happily wear the crown of Ugliest Doper so no one else has to have their poor feelings hurt, OK? They can call me fat too if it makes 'em feel better. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/72 "2005-03-04T07:06:51Z")
So how YOU doin’? You are actually really cute. And a class act. And smokin’. (Did I forget any?) (Yup.) And hot. :o ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/73 "2005-03-04T07:22:35Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > So how YOU doin’? > > You are actually really cute. And a class act. And smokin’. (Did I forget any?) > > (Yup.) > > And hot. :o Don’t change the subject while I’m being a smartass to Dio, please. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/74 "2005-03-04T07:25:12Z")
God, I love it when you talk like that. REALLY hot. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/75 "2005-03-04T07:27:11Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > God, I love it when you talk like that. REALLY hot. 😉 Someone please start an anon thread about **roger** kissing my arse. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/76 "2005-03-04T07:32:11Z")
> [@jinwicked](#): > > Pppph. I’ve had people pretending to be me online and on IRC (even taking over accounts on message boards I since abandoned) since about '99. And it’s not even like you have a real-life relationship with your name here or on online in general. I have to deal with the rare emails from people wondering if it was really me that posted/said \_\_\_\_\_. Usually they believe me, sometimes they don’t. Ultimately you can do exactly all of jack and shit about it. > > Some guy I don’t even know made [a whole webpage to just poke fun at me](http://www.masterninja.com/toys/jin-scale/). Do I care? Fuck no. I think it’s funny. Get over yourself. > > I’ll happily wear the crown of Ugliest Doper so no one else has to have their poor feelings hurt, OK? They can call me fat too if it makes 'em feel better. Just to be clear on this, I don’t care if people make fun of me or insult me or question my ancestry or whatever. The thing that really bothered me was having to take shrapnel _here_ for something some total stranger said somewhere else. By the way, I’m embarrassed to admit that I always thought you were a guy. I have no idea why. Maybe it’s because “Jin” is kinda sorta like “Jim.” So…How YOU doin’? ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/77 "2005-03-04T07:39:29Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > So…How YOU doin’? Pretty good. Just listen’ to some scientist talk about extraterrestrials on Coast to Coast AM and working on a commissioned illustration for some magazine. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/78 "2005-03-04T07:57:21Z")
> [@Dio the Cretin](#): > > By the way, I’m embarrassed to admit that I always thought you were a guy. I have no idea why. Maybe it’s because “Jin” is kinda sorta like “Jim.” What a dope. > [@Dio the Clueless](#): > > So…How YOU doin’? I was here first matey. > [@jinwicked](#): > > Someone please start an anon thread about roger kissing my arse. It can be arranged. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/79 "2005-03-04T08:15:02Z")
> [@CrankAsAnOld Man](#): > > Well, I’m not qualified to be the go-to girl, chirpily relating what’s great about the anon communities, It surprised me that, after volunteering the fact that you post there, you were too coy to further elaboration what you find appealing about the place, and what your level of participation was. It was not the sort of answer I expected of you. You were up-front about admitting that you post there. You even seemed to want to clarify what it was and was not. Now all of a sudden, coyness. Surprising. > [@trublmakr](#): > > Sometimes you just wanna say something, you wanna say it BAD, you’re gonna explode if you don’t say it to someone that knows what you mean, and you know that if you do it here you’ll get piled on. That’s what the Pit is for. It’s cowardly to not stand behind your username. > [@](#): > > I’m a disgrace to humanity? :dubious: Talk about hyperbole! Wait til my friends and family find out- I’ve hid it so well these 36 years. ::shrug:: It seems to bother you that he said this about you. Why? What do you care what a bunch of people you don’t know think about you? > [@](#): > > Not all anons are nasty, cruel, or insensitive. But this one is, and you participate in it. > [@](#): > > I’m basically a very nice, caring, nurturing person and my basic personality does not change when I visit there. And you sometimes say critical things on anonymous snark board, because you’re too scared to say it in the Pit, under your username. We get it. > [@](#): > > My user name, also, does not come from a reputation of making trouble for those that don’t deserve it, and IRL. But maybe you’d have a different reputation, if you posted your true feelings in the Pit, rather than anonymously posting them on a snark board. > [@](#): > > I’m not ashamed of posting there, and that’s not why I do it anonymously. I do it anonymously because of people like you. 🙂 Because you’re afraid that we might judge you for what you _really_ think? Why? Why is it okay to criticize someone behind their back (which you admit you’ve done), but you’re unwilling to stand by your own words and possibly take criticism for them? I don’t get this. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558/80 "2005-03-04T11:26:09Z")
> [@yosemite](#): > > It surprised me that, after volunteering the fact that you post there, you were too coy to further elaboration what you find appealing about the place, and what your level of participation was. It was not the sort of answer I expected of you. You were up-front about admitting that you post there. You even seemed to want to clarify what it was and was not. Now all of a sudden, coyness. Surprising. Speaking for myself, I can say that what’s entertaining about it is this: that you get a sense of people’s real reactions to the soap operas that occur on here. At its core, that community allows people to say things for which they’d be pilloried if they posted them on here (even the Pit). So even though you don’t get a name attached to the sentiment, you still get a more realistic perspective. If you’re not a frequent visitor to this message board, this particular anon community can help bring you up to speed on certain issues, too. Sometimes things fly by on here pretty quickly and are forgotten; then an entry over there may revive it so it can be discussed. Additionally, there are things that Cannot Be Discussed on here, rightly or wrongly, and those can always discussed over there. > [@](#): > > ::shrug:: It seems to bother you that he said this about you. Why? What do you care what a bunch of people you don’t know think about you? It’s funny you say this, and yet also say that those who don’t post under their username are being cowardly. In truth, there’s no real difference between posting under a “regular” username and “anonymous.” For example, here you are posting under the name “yosemite.” I don’t know you, and I don’t care what you think about me. > [@](#): > > But this one is, and you participate in it. I suspect Cranky meant not all entries in that journal are nasty, which is certainly true. And since she’s posting there anon at times, you really can’t say if she’s participating in those particular ones or not. > [@](#): > > But maybe you’d have a different reputation, if you posted your true feelings in the Pit, rather than anonymously posting them on a snark board. Or maybe not. Since we don’t know in which entries Cranky has posted - and can never definitively know - we certainly can’t say whether her “true” feelings would differ at all from what she posts on here. You’re making an assumption that may not be true. Look, that anon forum is basically the Pit with fewer rules and less accountability. And that swings both ways. If you are overly complimentary toward someone on here, for example, you run the risk of being viewed as a sycophant, a loser, a desperate-for-attention dweeb who just LOVVVVVEEEESSSSSSSS everything. That’s one reason that people don’t offer mad props at the drop of a hat over here anymore, because they don’t like to deal with the resultant “justify your praise” crap that often pops up. Over there, you can say something and be done with it if you choose to. (That doesn’t mean other people won’t let it lie, but you don’t feel obligated to parry and thrust with them endlessly, as is often the case here.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-live-journal/292558.md?page=5)