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Regular Contributor
Posts: 153
Registered: ‎03-17-2015

What do you think this quote means?

"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." Oscar Wilde

Valued Contributor
Posts: 1,320
Registered: ‎01-31-2012

Re: What do you think this quote means?

When face to face social filters remain in place. Behind the mask of anonymity the true persona emerges.

Regular Contributor
Posts: 153
Registered: ‎03-17-2015

Re: What do you think this quote means?

So do our true selves emerge here i wonder?

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,341
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: What do you think this quote means?

I wouldn't over think it.

Wrong is still wrong just because you benefited from it.
Valued Contributor
Posts: 1,320
Registered: ‎01-31-2012

Re: What do you think this quote means?

On 3/27/2015 Pashmina said:

So do our true selves emerge here i wonder?

I won't even pretend to know the answer to that question but I have more confidence in my impressions of posters on forum than I have in my impressions of people I just meet face to face.

There have been several occasions when my RL impressions needed revision as I got to know the individual better and learned the nuances of their speech and actions. There have only been a couple of instances on the board where my initial impressions were altered.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,045
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: What do you think this quote means?

I am me...period.

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**Careful... I have caps lock and I am not afraid to use it.**
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,341
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: What do you think this quote means?

So being here is a good thing. We get the real person!

Wrong is still wrong just because you benefited from it.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 11,367
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: What do you think this quote means?

On 3/27/2015 croemer said:

I am me...period.


Yes! YOU are. And a few others are.

Regular Contributor
Posts: 153
Registered: ‎03-17-2015

Re: What do you think this quote means?

On 3/27/2015 beammeupscottie said:
On 3/27/2015 Pashmina said:

So do our true selves emerge here i wonder?

Interesting question. At first perhaps but then as the personae's of the nic emerge, and the building of a "reputation" then the true self is hidden once more. This is partly why we see various troll/newbie/low count posters at times. So that the person can say their true feelings without losing their other nic personae.

I agree. No person is one sided, We are all many faceted. I can be a b____ or and angel or somewhere in between, depending on my mood and who I am conversing with.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 3,874
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: What do you think this quote means?

Oscar Wilde was a talented and rather complicated guy. I wouldn't base my whole theory of human interaction on one of his clever quotes.

In fact, the way people present themselves in different situations can be complicated and inconsistent. My feeling is that when people are "masked" they may allow less acceptable, less predictable, less attractive, or more adventurous elements of their personalities come out to play......or they may experiment with role-playing or different personas that they wouldn't take on in ordinary life. That they do so doesn't necessarily mean that those experiments or manifestations are "who they truly are". They may be just faces they are trying on or roles they are assuming for entertainment or effect.