January 31, 2000 ~ Anonymity

I first discovered Internet chat rooms when my parents were about to get a divorce and life felt pretty low. Before me was an entire digital world to discover, and the possibilities seemed endless.

One of the very best things about the Internet in those hard months was the anonymity of it. When I went into a chat room I felt safe, because my identity was unknown to all. I could reveal the details of my problems and ask for advice without worrying about making the other people involved look bad, for the people I chatted with online did not know me, and I would never meet any of them. It was a form of group therapy with no consequences for anyone. That, in and of itself, was very therapeutic.

The other advantage of hidden identity on the Internet is that many of the prejudices and stereotypes that people have simply do not apply. People cannot see your body, so you cannot be judged by surface concerns like race, financial status, age, gender, or dress. The only things offered up to judgment were intellect and personality. This too, was very comforting to me. The fact that I would not be instantly disregarded due to my gender, poverty, or young age greatly appealed to me. Some of the best philosophical discussions I have ever had have taken place online, thanks, partially, to the anonymity and non-physical nature of the web.

The Internet has the potential to be the ultimate tool for expressing oneself and communicating at a purely spiritual, intellectual, philosophical, and emotional level. There are no physical boundaries, and two minds can touch from opposite sides of the globe.

Unfortunately, the things about the web that make such wonderful connections achievable are the same things that make it possible for others to cause harmful deceptions. Digital crime is on the rise. Without a face, fewer consequences exist, and the criminal finds it easier to get off scot-free.

How will this change the landscape of our societal reality? How has it done so already? What makes it so that people are more willing to lie when they don't have a body?

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