Do You Generally Believe Posters on the BBS?

[Kestra]

First off, I don't want this thread turning mean, if you can help it!

People share a lot of personal issues, experiences, and opinions online. When I first joined a message board I just believed everyone was genuine and accurate. Experiences since then have taught me to have a bit of skepticism, but I still try to assume people are being genuine and respond to them accordingly.

What about the rest of you? Do you read threads with skepticism, or do you assume people are being genuine?

 

[Cakes488]

Well I'm glad I'm the first to share..as I am NEVER mean. LOL.

No I don't believe everything... but you must suspend some belief if you're going to function on the net.......but I try to take it with a grain of salt because half the shit I say I'm just kidding around to make a joke or being dramatic. So I don't even believe me...I can't possibly believe others....and let's face it, People are liars...whether that be on the net or real life.

When I'm being serious though I'll throw in my often overused phrase: But Seriously.....

 

[Jim Steele]

Generally, I see no reason to disbelieve people. Deceptions usually reek of bullshit anyway.

But ultimately I don't care, doesn't make any difference to me if someone lies on a message board. I prefer a mattress, but YMMV.

 

[clint g]

After 6 or so years on this board, I would have to say that yes I generally trust what people say on here. I really don't have a reason not to and if they are lying to me *shrug* its not as if I know them in real life so I don't lose anything by believing them

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I generally try not to let the BBS stress me out. But unless I know the person well, I take things with so many pinches of salt that I've now got high blood pressure. Funny, that.

But joking aside, some people I've seen online persist in their often unpleasant behaviour so much that you have to wonder if they are for real or not. If they are, they could be considered dangerous in real life if they ever practised what they preached. If they are just kidding around, then their ethical code must clearly be suspect if they willingly deceive others, and again I would wonder if their deceptive practices are something they would take into the real world too.

Not everyone is like that, I've come to realise.

 

[Finn]

I don't take it seriously either way. But I believe that some posters here are nothing like their online persona in real life.

 

[Kestra]

But ultimately I don't care, doesn't make any difference to me if someone lies on a message board. I prefer a mattress, but YMMV.

That took me at least a minute to get.

You need to post more in Misc!

 

[RandyS]

So....I guess you guys AREN'T interested in my plot of swamp land in Florida?

It's real.

Would this face lie?

 

[TheLonelySquire]

First off, I don't want this thread turning mean, if you can help it!

People share a lot of personal issues, experiences, and opinions online. When I first joined a message board I just believed everyone was genuine and accurate. Experiences since then have taught me to have a bit of skepticism, but I still try to assume people are being genuine and respond to them accordingly.

What about the rest of you? Do you read threads with skepticism, or do you assume people are being genuine?

Generally....I do. to be honest, you can't make some of this stuff up!

 

[Laren]

While I don't automatically suspect everyone on the net to be a liar, I don't take everything at face value, either. If a story strikes me as too outrageous, I might doubt its legitimacy, but even if someone is making stuff up - in most cases it doesn't matter all that much, does it? It's not as if I came to this place to research facts for work.

 

[Goliath]

I've never really thought about it. I guess I've just assumed that other people are being as honest as I am--and while I joke around from time to time, I don't recall ever actually lying about anything in a post.

I mean--what's the point? I guess it would be useful some times, to win arguments, but that wouldn't be very satisfying. After all, I'd know that I was just making shit up. What kind of victory is that?

Plus, there would always be the chance that my opponent would look it up, come back, and call me on my bullshit.

 

[SeerSGB]

As a rule? I take everything with a grain of salt. It isn't that I think 99.99% of the board is out and out lying, it just experience and personal bias will color any tale or opinion.

 

[Jayson]

I asume most people are honest, because it's the internet. Why lie on the internet? I mean I could come here and pretend like I am cool and I got hot babes coming over day and night but what would be the point? I do think alot of people are like me in that they are a little more open about their thoughts and feelings than they would be with people the encounter in the real world. It's okay for you guys to know some of the wierd stuff, for example, running thorugh my mind because if your going to judge me it's at least is from a distance. I wouldn't want my mom or sister's to know some of the stuff I think about though. I asume most people are like me in this regard.

Jason

 

[Jadzia]

One can never be certain either way. I mostly trust that people are telling true stories, but I do feel that some are more genuine than others.

In any group of people as large as this, there will inevitably be frequent reports of fortune, and of misfortune. But I can't imagine that genuinely meant replies would be of any value to a person telling a fake story.

If I held the impression that most people here were lying about what they wrote, then I wouldn't be here.

 

[Cakes488]

I asume most people are honest, because it's the internet. Why lie on the internet? I mean I could come here and pretend like I am cool and I got hot babes coming over day and night but what would be the point? I do think alot of people are like me in that they are a little more open about their thoughts and feelings than they would be with people the encounter in the real world. It's okay for you guys to know some of the wierd stuff, for example, running thorugh my mind because if your going to judge me it's at least is from a distance. I wouldn't want my mom or sister's to know some of the stuff I think about though. I asume most people are like me in this regard.

Jason

People lie constantly. My profile picture could be a lie because guess what...that's not even me! I could be a guy for all you know. Think about that...I could present myself in any way I like...but it can all be lies. See now you're not even sure if that picture is me...you just never really know do you? But PS if I put a fake pic up there...I think I can do better than that one...LOL

Ok maybe it's less of an issue here on TREKBBS...you "get to know" each other...but in general on the internet....you need to watch out.

 

[Gryffindorian]

I take it for granted that most people tell the truth (although not the whole truth) when they're posting their views, personal experiences and ramblings. To me, it makes no logical sense to "make things up" just for the heck of it--unless the person is a liar or a troll, and trolls are usually in the minority. In fact, some people are quite reluctant to share information about themselves; I don't mean their Driver's License or Social Security Number, but stuff about their personal lives, and that's totally fine! In fact, I'd rather prefer being tight-lipped to being a liar.

 

[Kirk's_Tights]

I asume most people are honest, because it's the internet. Why lie on the internet? I mean I could come here and pretend like I am cool and I got hot babes coming over day and night but what would be the point? I do think alot of people are like me in that they are a little more open about their thoughts and feelings than they would be with people the encounter in the real world. It's okay for you guys to know some of the wierd stuff, for example, running thorugh my mind because if your going to judge me it's at least is from a distance. I wouldn't want my mom or sister's to know some of the stuff I think about though. I asume most people are like me in this regard.

Jason

Um...the fact that it is the internet is more of a reason for people to lie. You don't have to be face to face with anyone and no one knows you personally so you can make your life sound better than it really is and no one will know that it's not true because they don't know you.

A perfect example is guys pretending to be girls to get attention or if it's in a forum that has a rep system so they can get a lot of positive rep. In my many years in forums, I can't even count how many people have been busted for stealing chick's pics from myspace or elsewhere and saying that is who they are.

My suspicions arise when a girl joins a forum and posts a pic when she doesn't even have 10 posts yet. One 'girl' the other day posted her pic on her 3rd post so someone asked her to take a picture holding a sign with the forum name on it and 'she' magically disappeared and hasn't logged in since (plus, you gotta know this forum, all these guys get banned and come back pretending to be girls so we know it's them). Two other 'girls' refused to hold a sign and another girl posted a bunch of pics but then said her 'camera was broken'. Funny how your camera works long enough to take 30 pictures but suddenly breaks when you're asked to prove you are the person in the picture.

It just bothers me that people go taking pictures from somewhere and saying it is them. I had it done to me on MySpace years ago where some idiot took my picture and used it as their picture so I reported them and MySpace deleted their profile. It's just a stupid thing to do. I know when you put your pics online, people will do things with them and you can't really stop it but people should have some decency to fuck off and not steal someone else's identity just to get noticed in a forum.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

But I can't imagine that genuinely meant replies would be of any value to a person telling a fake story.

Unless they craved attention and got their kicks from taking in the emotional responses of others, or something.

People lie constantly. My profile picture could be a lie because guess what...that's not even me! I could be a guy for all you know. Think about that...I could present myself in any way I like...but it can all be lies. See now you're not even sure if that picture is me...you just never really know do you? But PS if I put a fake pic up there...I think I can do better than that one...LOL

I generally avoid the problem by not using a human face in my profile page.

 

[Aragorn]

I have no reason not to believe any of you, but at the same time I don't actually know any of you and never will, so it really doesn't matter enough for it to be a concern. Really, there is no reason to lie on a message board (unless you're a celebrity hiding your identity) because what's the incentive in pretending to be the cool kid at school? No one cares.

Of course, I also have to wonder if some of the Trekkie canon purist fringe fanatics on here are as scary and pathetic in real life.

I also avoid TNZ.

 

[ITL]

I suppose we all flatter ourselves that our BullshitOmeter is in fine working order, but there's bound to be the occasional one that slips through the net. As for me - my Internets principle is this: If I wouldn't say it to someone's face in real life, then the same applies here. Yes, it's easy to lie on the Internets. And that's exactly why I don't.