Do you act differently online than in real life?

[Croconaw]

Do you act differently online than you do in real life? I think we all do to at least some extent.

Personally, I don’t think I’m that different. I started expressing (or at least attempted to) my gender identity a lot earlier online than I did in real life. I felt more comfortable doing so online and now that I’m sure I’m non-binary, I present that way in real life. Nobody really knows your past online, so you don’t get judged as often.

Are there parts of yourself you feel more comfortable showing online?

 

[Alolan_Apples]

I act differently too. I have autism, and you can tell judging by how I behave in real life. But on the internet, it’s a different story.

 

[xSuperMario64x]

definitely not, both of my friends whom I've met in person have said that I act exactly how they expected me to act haha

I've never really been one to put up a facade in order to get along with people, I always try to be my authentic self. pretending to be someone I'm not is too exhausting. I'd prefer to just be myself so people know and like me for who I am

 

[Mokuren]

I don't know honestly. I think I am the same in rl honestly. Why should I be any different online but I met some online friends and even if they are not really different than online you always have a certain picture in your head from the person that you have to correct. Nothing unusual tho.

 

[Beanz]

don’t worry, im as cringey as i am in real life as i am on here.

 

[wrenbow]

I always act pretty much the same regardless of the context, but I can express myself much better online so there's a slightly different side of me that comes out. I have a lot of difficulty communicating in real time so I can be quieter in real life, or it can go the other way and I can be more unfiltered because I haven't had time to think through things.

I think the main difference would be how people perceive me rather than how I act, because things like tone and mannerisms don't come across as well in writing.

 

[OswinOswald]

I think both online, and also when it comes to texting or messaging apps, I can be a lot more chatty than I might be in person. Sometimes it's because I get a little more time to think about what I want to say. Sometimes it's because there's no one to interrupt me in conversation, so I can keep talking (rambling) until I'm done!

 

[Kitsuragi]

yes bc im autistic and people IRL are ****ing jerks about it. but also, i am an ******* irl

 

[MiniPocketWorld]

I'm more social online. Probably because communication is through writing, so you can get your thoughts together more. And because others are more likely to be chatty online about things they otherwise probably wouldn't be.

I think people tend to be more chatty online because we are faceless strangers and are unlikely to cause drama and make every day life harder because you can just turn off the internet unlike family or a co worker.

 

[Snek]

Not really. I'm introverted and don't like sharing my life with too many people and its the same way irl

 

[Chris]

Different, but not drastically so. When I'm online I hold a lot back. In-person I'm unapolgetically myself.

 

[amemome]

definitely a bit different! i am much more willing to make small talk with strangers online. i wouldn't talk so freely in person.

 

[oak]

I definitely hold back here on the forum cause there's the youngin's but over all online I mostly act the same. I might be more polite online

 

[Paperboy012305]

I talk kindly online and irl too, but irl I’m a bit sassy…

 

[Halloqueen]

I find the written word to be more natural to me. Writing things down, whether online, in a text or on paper, I'm far more verbose, coherent and eloquent. In the real world, I kind of feel like there's a filter between my brain and my mouth and that more often than not I probably sound like a moron to strangers, whereas I can speak more freely and naturally to my closest friends and immediate family.

I'd say I'm more shy in-person, but I don't really reach out to people I don't know online either, so nah, I'm shy online too. For example, I'm in some big Discord groups and feel intimidated to try to talk to any one person individually outside of the shared Discord server, whereas I'm more social in the smaller, more close-knit servers with only a handful of people.

I reckon it ultimately comes down to social anxiety and poor socialization skills. Not having to see anyone's eyes upon me online, I can be more of the natural, unfiltered me and worry at least a little less.

 

[Aniko]

I'm way more chatty only online

 

[pottercrossing]

The only difference between online me and real life me is that I curse like a sailor in real life, but I hardly ever do on the Internet. Otherwise, I'm pretty much the same.

 

[thatawkwardkid]

I'd say I have more personality irl to be honest.

 

[nyx~]

I'm different in the aspect that irl I'm very quiet and introverted, and keep a lot of things to myself. I also believe I have some degree of social anxiety. Online on the other hand, I could talk your ear off (or type I guess) for hours on end. I guess I just find it easier to talk and be myself when I'm hiding behind a screen.

 

[jadetine]

I behave pretty much the same in both settings; I try to approach each person with empathy, to be a good listener, and to only speak if I have something to add or if I just have to express myself. I might be a tad bit less shy online, but mostly I think what I enjoy here and in real life is very similar.