Identity Crisis!

[deganawida]

Well, just a random thought, really. During my lunch break today, a cafeteria worker asked me for my name. I had to stop myself, as I nearly answered, "Deganawida". This has been happening more and more of late, as I find that I identify myself more as deganawida than as my RL name. I believe that this is due in part to the fact that my father and I share the same first name and middle initial, and as a result I often get his mail, calls from his clients, his credit report (not fun), and have had to identify myself for years as "____ the younger". Thus, deganawida has become a means to live out from under the shadow of my father's name, and be recognized as myself rather than my father's son.

 

So, do any of y'all have "identity crises" resulting from juggling real-life personas and internet personas?

[Dakoth]

I feel for you, the only thing that differentiates me from my father is a second middle name. I use it very little because my name ends up way to long. So I went through most of my life as little Jim.

[taks]

i've actually gone by the moniker taks since i was 12 years old (almost 25 years now) as it is a contraction of my last name. taks is me, btw, in terms of personality as well. not much difference between taks and mark at all. my current friends either call me by my last name (more common at work, actually) or mark. i've never really had a problem switching between the various methods of addressing me, and i do answer to them all readily.

 

dunno why... it's just this way.

 

 

taks... er, mark, er...

[deganawida]

Well, there ain't much difference between me and my "deg" persona; 'bout the only one that I can think of is that I'm less worried about offending people as deganawida. In RL, I am far too nice, even when I shouldn't be. Preacher's kid syndrome and all that.

['JN]

I once gunned down a group of guerillas in the Cambodian jungle. Or at least I thought I did, it turns out they were working for the Salvation Army...

[Dakoth]

I once gunned down a patrol of guerillas in the Cambodian jungle. Or at least I thought I did, it turns out they were working for the Salvatian Army...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Man didn't they teach you to double check your target before unloading flaming death on civilians?

['JN]

Man didn't they teach you to double check your target before unloading flaming death on civilians?  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I was expecting a green reticle to appear around the sights indicating that they were friendly, but I didn't see one. Oh well...

[Kaftan Barlast]

We were a group of three friends at artschool and we grew so close we started mixing our names up. other people started doing this too. it wasconfusing at times, I actually called people by MY name on several occasions.

[Weiser_Cain]

I signed a few checks Weiser_Cain, with the underscore...

[deganawida]

I signed a few checks Weiser_Cain, with the underscore...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Heh, that's pretty funny.

[Phosphor]

No, I don't confuse my real name with my board name, but when I see someone mention my board name, I automatically "over-ride" it with my real name, so the two read the same to me.

[Monte Carlo]

Well, not really, seeing as my real name is Monte Carlo.

 

;_;

[deganawida]

<Guffaws>

[taks]

at least it's not monte cristo... the sandwich!

taks

[Child of Flame]

Well, there ain't much difference between me and my "deg" persona; 'bout the only one that I can think of is that I'm less worried about offending people as deganawida.  In RL, I am far too nice, even when I shouldn't be.  Preacher's kid syndrome and all that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

BWAAAHAAAHAAA!!! You too. I used to be that way, then becoming disgusted with the church and life in general, I retreated and encased myself in my room, and most frequently, in the box of Silicon and Aluminum that I created. The internet is my new life.

 

I'm still really, really too nice in real life, though I tend to keep to myself more than anything. But on the internet....I'm a total jackass. :ph34r:

[Gorth]

Gorth and I have been together for more than 20 years now, so we are "Old Buddies"

 

He's my alter ego in most things that require a proxy, whether it be old mud games, mailing lists, forums, whatever. Mostly he is just me, as in the real me, although he usually only reflect one personality at a time. Some days cracking bad one-liners, some days brooding and insightful, somedays just bored and midly trolling etc. Mostly a reflection of the person behind the keyboard at the time of writing. No, never really had any trouble keeping the two apart. The real me's identity is not secret, I just don't go around broadcasting it B)

 

If I had to point out a difference between Gorth and me, it would be, that working in a competitive environment amongst lawyers, auditors, FMO's, CEO's etc. Gorth is less "guarded" in his statements and attitude which is a nice release (escapism if you want) from real life every now and then... :ph34r:

[deganawida]

Well, there ain't much difference between me and my "deg" persona; 'bout the only one that I can think of is that I'm less worried about offending people as deganawida.  In RL, I am far too nice, even when I shouldn't be.  Preacher's kid syndrome and all that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

BWAAAHAAAHAAA!!! You too. I used to be that way, then becoming disgusted with the church and life in general, I retreated and encased myself in my room, and most frequently, in the box of Silicon and Aluminum that I created. The internet is my new life.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Small world, ain't it? So, do you feel like you're constantly being judged, as well? Most PKs I've talked to have a kind of paranoia where they feel that people are always watching, waiting for the slightest screw-up or hint of human fallacy.

 

NOTE: For those who don't know or understand, many minister's kids have to, from at the latest 5 years old onward, hold to the same standard of behavior that is expected of the minister. Many church congregations (wrongly in my opinion, but I do recognize that an individual or group being wrong does not necessarily invalidate their beliefs, as humans are fallable, and, on the whole, lazy thinkers) will hold the minister responsible for any untoward act commited by his/her children. Basically, the "good" PKs (not the rebellious ones) tend to act like their thirty while still preteens, simply because their parents' job and well-being depends on it. We also tend to be a bit behind when it comes to social maturity, as no one wants to hang out with somber kids who never want to have fun (where fun equals dangerous or trouble).

 

EDIT: Perhaps I shouldn't say "congregations", and should instead say "some individuals within church congregations", as that is more accurate in my experience.

[Child of Flame]

Well, there ain't much difference between me and my "deg" persona; 'bout the only one that I can think of is that I'm less worried about offending people as deganawida.  In RL, I am far too nice, even when I shouldn't be.  Preacher's kid syndrome and all that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

BWAAAHAAAHAAA!!! You too. I used to be that way, then becoming disgusted with the church and life in general, I retreated and encased myself in my room, and most frequently, in the box of Silicon and Aluminum that I created. The internet is my new life.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Small world, ain't it? So, do you feel like you're constantly being judged, as well? Most PKs I've talked to have a kind of paranoia where they feel that people are always watching, waiting for the slightest screw-up or hint of human fallacy.

 

NOTE: For those who don't know or understand, many minister's kids have to, from at the latest 5 years old onward, hold to the same standard of behavior that is expected of the minister. Many church congregations (wrongly in my opinion, but I do recognize that an individual or group being wrong does not necessarily invalidate their beliefs, as humans are fallable, and, on the whole, lazy thinkers) will hold the minister responsible for any untoward act commited by his/her children. Basically, the "good" PKs (not the rebellious ones) tend to act like their thirty while still preteens, simply because their parents' job and well-being depends on it. We also tend to be a bit behind when it comes to social maturity, as no one wants to hang out with somber kids who never want to have fun (where fun equals dangerous or trouble).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Actually, I'm rather lucky since my dad hasn't been an active minister for along time. But I still live under his shadow. <_<

[tripleRRR]

My father and I have the same name, but my family just gave me a nickname that stuck for about 15 years, so I never had that much of a problem.

 

As for my online name, it's hard to introduce myself to people as "triple R R R"

 

 

TripleRRR

[Hell Kitty]

I almost introduced myself as Hell Kitty, once. How embarrassing.

[Sarjahurmaaja.]

You guys have issues.

[Synaesthesia]

Most of my on-line names have been somehow related to (or a derivative of) my RL name, so I tend not to have this problem. Synaesthesia is an obvious exception, of course. I only chose this name because I like the sound of the word.

[Jurgenaut]

Heh.. When the guys in my battlefield clan hang at the pub, we call each other our net nicks. I know what they're called IRL, but it's easier to use the "call signs". They're Bard, Thermos, Blast, Holy (and so on) to me.

 

Luckily, I'm J

[tripleRRR]

You guys have issues.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

This is an internet forums man, we all have issues.

 

 

TripleRRR

[Sarjahurmaaja.]

 

I don't.