Sunday, January 30, 2011

Anonymity

Optional and temporary anonymity is, I think, a tremendous benefit for our society. Especially with the momentous role the internet has begun to take in shaping our everyday lives, the ability for anonymous self-expression is helping to encourage a creativity and sincerity that would otherwise go unspoken.

Now, I know the downsides; illegal actions, brutal deliberate offense, and lack of accountability, but I feel these are far outweighed by the advantages anonymity can offer. Piracy and illegal content distributions will occur one way or another. And offensive content is sometimes necessary for heightening expressive works; racial slurs in Huck Finn, profanities in Catcher in the Rye, and sexually charged graphic violence in A Clockwork Orange all added to the intensity and value of their production.

But creativity isn’t limited to fiction, or prose, or poetry. Creativity can manifest itself in any form of writing or pictoral depictions, and absolute freedom is often necessary in order to preserve that expressiveness. Oftentimes we find ourselves in situations in which we are forced to don an emotional or responsive guise that doesn’t reflect our true feelings (take my post on Fake Smiles for instance), but in certain parts of the internet, we are able to life those masks. We are able to say things we wouldn’t be able to say in any other circumstance, and brandish our truth in a purer sense than any other realm could tolerate.

Sure, there are those taking advantage of the cover by pursuing degrading or damaging activities. But speaking anonymously, these people are revealing the most sincere and intentional flows of thought and feeling of which they are capable. And I think we can progress as individuals and as a society only when we are true to ourselves.

So I’m thankful for this front, to help relinquish my stifling societal fears of true expression. And for my sake, your sake, and the sake of artistic development, anonymity remains a clear and true sanctuary, on the internet if nowhere else, for years to come.

14 comments:

  1. Anonymousity indeed brings forth the true person, and his true feelings. Most of the time that it. Like you said, it has downsides, but the ups outweigh them for the most part

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  2. The ability to be anonymous is great, I think it allows people to speak their minds in a more candid and open way.

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  3. Where would we be without anonymous!

    xxx

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  4. Anonymous posts allow free speech.

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  5. Anonymous post prevent judgment of character based on appearance and/or previous encounters or opinions about a person.
    http://zspneverydaysports.blogspot.com/

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  6. I think sometimes anonimity is forced (more than before) since free speech is at stake, and the forces opposing to it are sometimes too strong.

    Following.

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

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  8. wish internet wasnt that traced. imagine 100% anonymity and how people would use internet to full potential. internet would be a POWERHOUSE

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  9. You just beat me to that quote, it's on one of my favorite anonymous wallpapers.

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  10. Yum top Ramen (just had to get that off my chest).

    Very well spoken, an argument that well articulated is hard to counter.

    I agree anonymity is great, where one can be expressionate and heard, unafraid of the social bugaboos put in place to censure and control the masses. It's about time we get to become more democratic in our existence, instead of the faignted and akward false expectations put on us.

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  11. I'm 100% behind this. Where would trolling be without anonymity...

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  12. Anonimity gives you power. When you're stripped of youself, you might as well be anyone you wanna be.

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  13. All trolling aside, I feel that I can express myself with so much more confidence when I am anonymous. I'm no longer bound to speaking about what is expected of a nerdy college student, or what people will think of me for speaking my mind. Because hell, they're anonymous as well!

    Great blog, now following. : )

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  14. I think everyone needs a little anonymity from time to time. Helps let us vent.

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