Friend: Do you have a blog?
Me: No. Should I?
Friend: I don’t know. You look like a person who has a blog.
Me: Do bloggers have specific looks?
Friend: No, I mean you, as a person. I can imagine you as a blogger.
Me: Hehe.. Yeah, so I’ve been told. But I don’t have one.
I’m lying of course. Why?
For two main reasons only:
1. I prefer to remain anonymous, so that when readers read what I write, they are not influenced by who I am, what I am, or what I do. I don’t want my background, race or religion to be taken into consideration when reading what I write. I know that these things make up the person that is me, but I don’t want people to read what I write and interpret it differently from what I intended.
I write about issues that affect me, myself and I. I also write about social, political and global issues when they come to mind. However, somewhere in between, I might write about certain people, and how they have affected my life. Out of respect for these people, I never say their real names, and I prefer to remain nameless because I don’t want their identities to come to light.
2. There is only one person, and one person alone, who I’ve told about my blog. If anyone else comes to know of my identity due to certain events that I report that make it obvious it’s me who is writing, I wouldn’t mind. I just wish they would remain discreet only out of respect and nothing more.
I am very proud of what I write because it is a creation that only I can make, being that the words and ideas are from my mind. MY mind only.
There is nothing that I write that I probably haven’t already said or talked about to the people surrounding me. Often I am a very transparent person. And sometimes I may be a bit of a puzzle.
I hope this makes things clear for you, readers.
This lady is very grateful.
Me: No. Should I?
Friend: I don’t know. You look like a person who has a blog.
Me: Do bloggers have specific looks?
Friend: No, I mean you, as a person. I can imagine you as a blogger.
Me: Hehe.. Yeah, so I’ve been told. But I don’t have one.
I’m lying of course. Why?
For two main reasons only:
1. I prefer to remain anonymous, so that when readers read what I write, they are not influenced by who I am, what I am, or what I do. I don’t want my background, race or religion to be taken into consideration when reading what I write. I know that these things make up the person that is me, but I don’t want people to read what I write and interpret it differently from what I intended.
I write about issues that affect me, myself and I. I also write about social, political and global issues when they come to mind. However, somewhere in between, I might write about certain people, and how they have affected my life. Out of respect for these people, I never say their real names, and I prefer to remain nameless because I don’t want their identities to come to light.
2. There is only one person, and one person alone, who I’ve told about my blog. If anyone else comes to know of my identity due to certain events that I report that make it obvious it’s me who is writing, I wouldn’t mind. I just wish they would remain discreet only out of respect and nothing more.
I am very proud of what I write because it is a creation that only I can make, being that the words and ideas are from my mind. MY mind only.
There is nothing that I write that I probably haven’t already said or talked about to the people surrounding me. Often I am a very transparent person. And sometimes I may be a bit of a puzzle.
I hope this makes things clear for you, readers.
This lady is very grateful.
14 comments:
I wrote a post a while ago asking people why they are anonymous, I got some interesting answers. Personally, I don't tell people about it, but there are a lot of ppl I know in real life who read it. Your reasons are quite interesting :) It is the right thing to protect those whom you speak about, cause you never know what ppl say! ;/
i feel free if i reamin anonymous ,but there is one girl noticed abut me by a big mistake i did write in my blog ;)
Sooner or later, your identity may be known to others.
But I just feel that its respectful for people to not announce it, you know? It makes it easier for us.
I dont want people to read my blog and say "yeah just because she is so-and-so, of course she will say that."
And as you said new-bride, it makes you feel free.
By remaining anonymous our flow of thoughts doesn't get constricted. We don't get pinned down by what if's and freedom of expression is best exercised and absorbed by people who doesn't have personal knowledge of who and what you are. Free is the apt word. Love your blog :)
i think you are right. im also transparent though i like to have a thing that i call my own..where i can rant without having to force my friends to listen..
I thought my previous blog was totally anonymous so i wrote all kind of personal crap ! One fine day i realised all my frinds had figured out that it was me ...
Haha yeah! I'm kind of paranoid right now about who might know me, and who might not.
But sometimes I think, who cares??
I'm not saying anything wrong!
And even if I did.. I still don't care!
This is cyberspace, it doesn't count, right? :p
Hmm. Interesting way of looking at the whole "why I prefer to remain anonymous" question. I agree with most of the points you've made.
Time and time again, I've crossed paths with people who I'd like to call "nosy" because I feel like being mean right now; people who question me about this or that having come across my existence via my blog. It does not irk me, to be honest; but it does tend to take on an annoying nature once the questions get too personal. Here, I must admit that I have indeed revealed quite an astonishing amount of "personal" information about myself...but only to certain people. I applaud them for remaining discreet about it.
But there are times when I find myself wishing..."if only I could be ENTIRELY anonymous; so that the new acquaintances I make through my blog do not start judging or evaluating me on the basis of my posts". I suppose that contradicts one the reasons you mentioned-"I know that these things make up the person that is me, but I don’t want people to read what I write and interpret it differently from what I intended." I, on the other hand, don't want people to make assumptions regarding me from what I write, not vice versa.
Afterthought:- A long comment! You must give me leave because I honestly cannot help it; I always find myself wanting to write a lot in response to most of your posts. And that, should be taken as a compliment. =)
Thanks, manutd! I appreciate the comments because it makes me realize there are people who are reading this.
Regarding the contradiction: you're right, the sentence kind of contradicts itself. I think i didn't explain it clearly. I meant that I dont want people to say for example "just because she's Kuwaiti, she's going to say that about Iraqis. Or just because she's from Family A, she's going to think that about Families B and C.. and so on.
My background, education, religion all make up my whole being. But my ideas and thoughts come from my mind. It is not a dictation of what my society tells me, but how I think society should be.
So I dont want people to judge me according to what it says on my passport/ civil ID. I want people to judge me by my words.
No more, no less.
i get what ur saying
im not anonymous, and everyone i know knows about my blog
and sometimes just sometimes id come to write but have to think twice
and i hate that!
yeah, that's exactly what I DONT want to happen.
But its bound to happen, I guess.
As long as I'm not lying, and I'm being myself, then I have nothing to hide.
But right now I'd like to preserve my anonymity..
eshda3wa thats exactly why i want to stay anonymous - i wanna be able to write whatever i want without thinking twice
lady, i dont think it's bound to happen if u're careful; just keep lying and u'll be ok ;)
it is so obvious who i am, and i thought it might bring some restrictions, but i found out afterwards that it is always ok to say what i think, especially that i don't find political and personal problems are really problems..
i have the same conversation you had but in reverse, why are you so obvious in who you are, and well i don't write my opinion most of the time ! i usually reform them in art so i don't see a point, my identity is there in every sense, why should i hide it.
revealing my real name and saying things that i realy am, made me more confident and creative in the wa i want to say my opinion.. because afterall you may say it orally some day.
(but being an anonymous is always interesting)
Just how your blog is ;)
nice blog
Good point, deema. I know some people think that if you have nothing to hide, then why be anonymous. But for me, I want my writing to speak for itself. I dont want my identity to be the basis of interpretation.
But as I said, I have no real problem with anyone knowing who I am. I just prefer, for now, to remain anonymous.
Thanks for the compliment.
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