X-Message-Number: 26867 Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 01:06:24 -0600 From: Subject: Shortcuts & Reputation vs. Anonymity First, I would like to acknowledge and thank those who took the time to post in favor of those whose preference is that their identity remain anonymous on Cryonet and elsewhere on the internet. Most of the Antoniks' assertions appear to be rebutted, though I generally don't read most things longer than about one page, unless it is good and I already know it is fiction. Or if it is on a subject worthy of the length, say, of a textbook. Few subjects are. Second, a couple of posters, one of whom apologized in his post for flaming me in the subject line, defend their position against anonymity by stating a need of people to know the reputation of a speaker, and therefore of course their identity, in order to decide of they have time to even read the message. It is a "shortcut" they take, they say, to save time. I am to assume, I guess, that posting anonymously presents a bewilderment to them, as they have no idea what, if any, my reputation is. Some of course make the erroneous assumption a priori that since my identity is unknown, I have no reputation, and should not be read. Well, what can I say. I must confess to having fallen to this temptation myself, on occasions, when in a hurry. I'll often not bother reading things from folks I already know who are and I already have read enough of to guess they probably have little new information that would interest me. That's the other side of the coin with non-anonymous postings, folks. You get a "reputation." With anonymous posters, you usually don't know what's in the box, and what you may be missing. Except for me, of course, as long as I maintain my current anonymous handle. I'm sure I have a reputation now in the minds of most, despite your not knowing what is on my personal, private and none-of-your-business birth certificate. But back to me .... I usually even check back occasionally on many sources that talk about things that interest me, even if I have "shortcutted" them in the past. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. I suppose the bottom line is: I'm not too worried that some folks, like Billy, will not read me because I am anonymous. Probably even less folks read some of the non-anonymous posters on here, as they have gotten more of a "reputation". A pleasant day and very long life to all, Flav Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=26867