The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - The masks of inscrutability, or are you really you?

Durelin · 06-01-2004, 06:09 PM

Durelin and...Rachel? Which one do ya think is more imposing?

First of all, I must agree with much of what has been said, especially the fact that I am able to edit posts and take my time to think makes me seem so much smarter.

I am not a person of words. I am more likely to answer some thoughtful discussion in real life with a few 'errs' and then perhaps a 'yeah, I think so', or a 'maybe', or even a 'no, I don't think so'. But when asked to elaborate, many more 'errs' would follow. This is especially true when my tongue is especially caught. I am much more likely to think of a word when my fingers hover above a keyboard than when my mouth is working and my tongue hesitating.

I also have never been a leader. I don't like to give people orders, simply for the fear that I may be wrong (a horrifying thought that makes my tongue hesitate quite often) and that people may not like it if I take charge.

Even Durelin can struggle with many of these things, showing how weak I am in these areas. But how Durelin is able to make comments without fear of rebuke, embarrassment, fault, etc., goes to show how unreal a community this is. Now this may sound harsh, but it's not supposed to feel like a big family, or even a group of classmates or workmates. (Or is it...?)

Part of what helps make it so different a way of communicating than speaking to a person, whether directly or over the phone (Or a mic, thanks to scary technology). For one thing, this doesn't work in real time. We have time to formulate posts, even one-liners, and time to edit, time to think about other people's posts... It is amazing how different it can be to see words rather than just hear them or say them. For myself, I am very glad that the words I say are not as permanent as the ones I write or type.

I my mind, Durelin is a simpler person, and, so, in a way, a better person. There are faults that do not show when I type as Durelin (I don't think they do, at least.), and I think becoming Durelin for a bit improves the much less interesting 'Rachel behind the mask'. This may seem a bit much for an online nickname I like to think of myself as, but taking time to discuss things with more thought doesn't just aid you in posting on message boards.

Right, so Durelin is not Rachel, a 14 (almost 15!) year old girl who doesn't plan on getting much older, for obvious reasons.

-Durelin (Or am I?)

You know it does make you wonder...who am I right now?

06-01-2004, 06:09 PM	#21
Durelin Estelo dagnir, Melo ring Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,063	Durelin and...Rachel? Which one do ya think is more imposing? First of all, I must agree with much of what has been said, especially the fact that I am able to edit posts and take my time to think makes me seem so much smarter. I am not a person of words. I am more likely to answer some thoughtful discussion in real life with a few 'errs' and then perhaps a 'yeah, I think so', or a 'maybe', or even a 'no, I don't think so'. But when asked to elaborate, many more 'errs' would follow. This is especially true when my tongue is especially caught. I am much more likely to think of a word when my fingers hover above a keyboard than when my mouth is working and my tongue hesitating. I also have never been a leader. I don't like to give people orders, simply for the fear that I may be wrong (a horrifying thought that makes my tongue hesitate quite often) and that people may not like it if I take charge. Even Durelin can struggle with many of these things, showing how weak I am in these areas. But how Durelin is able to make comments without fear of rebuke, embarrassment, fault, etc., goes to show how unreal a community this is. Now this may sound harsh, but it's not supposed to feel like a big family, or even a group of classmates or workmates. (Or is it...?) Part of what helps make it so different a way of communicating than speaking to a person, whether directly or over the phone (Or a mic, thanks to scary technology). For one thing, this doesn't work in real time. We have time to formulate posts, even one-liners, and time to edit, time to think about other people's posts... It is amazing how different it can be to see words rather than just hear them or say them. For myself, I am very glad that the words I say are not as permanent as the ones I write or type. I my mind, Durelin is a simpler person, and, so, in a way, a better person. There are faults that do not show when I type as Durelin (I don't think they do, at least.), and I think becoming Durelin for a bit improves the much less interesting 'Rachel behind the mask'. This may seem a bit much for an online nickname I like to think of myself as, but taking time to discuss things with more thought doesn't just aid you in posting on message boards. Right, so Durelin is not Rachel, a 14 (almost 15!) year old girl who doesn't plan on getting much older, for obvious reasons. -Durelin (Or am I?) You know it does make you wonder...who am I right now?