Your Online Personality vs Your Offline Personality

[AlbaTross 1,581]

As strange as it sounds, I'm probably more genuine online, because I tend to be more open about things. The Internet sure is a strange phenomenon. I can share things, like that I'm a Brony, with countless people on the Internet, yet I would never admit to that in real life. I can often type novels about a subject that interests me on the Internet, but in real life, I'm more like Fluttershy, except when I'm with close friends and family, in which case I can often have long discussions about stuff too. I don't mind chatting with complete strangers online, but in real life, I rarely do more than politely greet people I'm meeting for the first time.

 

There must be something about the Internet that makes me feel more at home. Maybe it's that forums in particular are like a mystical masquerade ball, open to people all over the world, where everyone hides behind an avatar, but we can get to know one another through interests, among other things. There's something magical about forums for me, so maybe that's why I join online communities for virtually anything that interests me. By comparison, real life is a little more mundane IMHO.

[A goat 323]

My personality offline is much different than online. I'm a bigger jokster online than offline.

[Jennabun 1,578]

Online:

- If I have something to say and I'm sure that I know what I'm talking about, I say it. I rarely think twice, even if it's controversial. I think that's because I know I'll have unlimited time to construct exactly what I want to say, so I'm more confident in my beliefs. I comment on forums, comments sections of news articles, blogs, etc... I share my views pretty openly.

- I am usually pretty eloquent-sounding.

- I'm more likely to immediately come off as friendly and approachable.

- I walk a line between wanting to make tons of cool friends and not wanting to feel socially overwhelmed.

- I'm very unabashedly obsessed with ponies, hello kitty, and care bears.

- I curse when I get frustrated or when I'm trying to make an important point.

- People get my sense of humor more when I'm online.

 

Offline:

- If I have something to say, even if it's pretty important and I'm confident that I have a valid point, I get nervous about it. It's especially bad around authority figures. I feel very anxious when bringing up a sensitive issue to a boss or a person much older than me.

- I sound more casual.

- My voice is pretty loud/commanding, even though my personality is pretty reserved. So I guess I have an attention-getting voice, but I use it less than I do online.

- I like to say fuck a lot (in the appropriate venues). When I'm upset. When I'm happy. When I'm excited. Yup.

- People usually think I'm cold and mysterious when they first meet me (I trust people A LOT LESS irl), but I warm up with time. People eventually start to see me as funny and friendly - I just need to get to know them a bit first and feel secure in my surroundings.

- I walk a line between wanting to make tons of cool friends and not wanting to feel socially overwhelmed (same as online).
- I'm very unabashedly obsessed with ponies, hello kitty, and care bears (same as online, believe it or not!)

- I make jokes all the time, but people sometimes just give me this look like "............................................." and it's awkward. Unless I'm around my friends. They have my sense of humor.

 

That prettyyyyy much sums it up!

Edited July 22, 2014 by Jennabun

[Arylett Charnoa 4,919]

The way I come across in both contexts are very different, but similar enough that you can generally attribute it to the same person. Let me start with my least favorite one.

 

Offline: I am quiet and mostly shy, being as polite and inoffensive as possible, though sometimes failing because I misinterpret the situation. On occasion, when I'm feeling courageous, I'll blurt out some random thought related to the topic that is being spoken of. I mostly lurk around and watch others talk. If I'm forced to speak, I'll do it, but I'll say as little as possible. I typically simplify things or lie just so I don't have to talk. I'm very brief. I don't really stutter or speak too badly, but I still often make mistakes in my speech and end up saying the wrong word or miswording things. It's difficult for me to speak because of how quickly one has to think when they're talking in real life. My brain barely has the time to properly construct a sentence.

 

Also, I am really bad at understanding speech. When I watch things, I have subtitles on. Real life has no such subtitles, so I mishear around 30% of what people are saying or don't understand what has been said at all. It makes interaction very frustrating and makes me feel like I'm in a world where people speak a different language. That's what real life feels to me, in fact. Just like I'm a foreigner who can't speak their language, and that's part of the reason why I'm so awkward.

 

Around my partner and probably others I am comfortable with (I'm not comfortable with anyone else at this time), I tend to act the opposite of that. Although I curse more and my speech is less refined, because I still am not as good a speaker as I am a typer. I tend to ramble a lot around him, just continuously saying things. Also, I ask a lot of questions. Generally because I'm really insecure and want to make sure the person is listening or that their opinions are positive about what I'm saying, so I'm constantly quizzing him. It's something I really need to learn how to stop doing.

 

I'm also very outgoing and charismatic, bringing life, vigor, and perkiness to our conversations. And super open. I'm always talking about all sorts of things and thoughts, being very expressive. 

 

What I'm working on his improving my offline persona. So far, I've found out that it's more courageous than I thought. I'm not really SUPER shy, but I'm still rather awkward and not all that outgoing. If I force myself hard enough though, I can be capable of bringing a piece of the outgoingness I bring to my partner to others. 

 

Online: Long-winded, expressive, and very carefully worded. I feel this is my element. Why? Over the years, I have discovered that I am a person who best expresses herself through text. Written word is very important to me and I am able to precisely articulate most of the things I say because I actually have time to think. That and actually seeing the words instead of hearing them... it completely removes my auditory weakness of misunderstanding. Text is my true voice and the truest me I can be at this moment, though again, I'm working on spoken word.

 

Because of this, I'm much more confident, though still hesitant. I come across as being a well thought-out person who sounds smart and says a lot of things. Someone who is earnest and considerate. I can probably be a bit intimidating or condescending at times, particularly when I encounter people with lesser grammar than I. But I think I'm still quite kind to most, and still try to be as inoffensive as possible. I don't want to hurt any feelings and I absolutely hate acting like an ass regardless of whether you can see my face or not. 

 

Also, I can probably come across as very serious and simultaneously capable of a unique brand of quirkiness. This is because most internet humor doesn't even make me crack a smile, but I still revel in my own sense of humor and make myself laugh with silly things I say. 

 

This is really the true me. Or the closest I can get at the moment. 

[James 302]

I'm not a different person online, I definitely don't pretend to be someone else or anything, but I can express myself far easier online. I can pretty much barely speak at all to people since I get nervous and stuff, not an issue online.

 

The only other real difference is that my sense of humour doesn't come across online. I have been told that I seem like a serious person, and I'm really not most of the time.

[Cirrus. 1,088]

With me I am pretty much the same online as offline.

Overall I'm more of an introverted person (doesn't necessarily mean shy.)  When I was younger I was definitely shy, but nowadays I don't feel "scared" or "anxious" when talking to people- I just am good at keeping myself content/entertained. A lot of this changed when I almost could have died in a car accident a few years ago. I don't really get "scared" or "worried" about things like I used too (I think I'll make a topic discussing this soon)

 

The only thing I notice different online is that I sound more "proper" when it comes to english and grammar.

 

 

it's just easier to form my thoughts while I'm typing rather than trying to talk.

I really notice this about myself when making YouTube videos on the fly. I usually have to do multiple takes more often than I'd like.

Edited July 27, 2014 by steve88

[hip-indeed 304]

I'm mostly exactly the same offline as online; goofy dork who talks way too much, to put it simply.  But I'm quite the opposite of the topic creator in that online i have NO shyness about talking to anyone, anytime, for just about any reason (except for some very specific kinds of people that give off that air like they really don't care about you but you can't really read them, which more often than not end up people who're just really shy/introverted themselves, ironically...)  But in real life I am terrified of almost everyone and 'what they may be thinking about me' and so on lol, something I'm trying hard to get over.

[KatieBelle 302]

The only thing is that you can not tell at all how shy I am online.

[skbl17 199]

I'm a bit more reserved in person, but that's the only real difference between my "online" self and my "offline" self.

[The real PON-3 71]

online= more quiet,more happy and just much less rude

offline=loud,depressed,rude,bitchy and just annoying to people

[Nerdy Luigi 2,064]

Online: I'm open about myself, not quiet. I can get a little annoying sometimes I think, but I guess that's the way I interpret myself when speaking quite a bit. I think I'm annoying people.

 

Offline: Not so much. I hardly speak. When I do, it's for one of these reasons almost always:

 

1. I'm excited and can't hold myself together.

2. I'm asked a question, or responding to someone else.

3. I have ingested a bit of caffeine.

 

I hardly ever start conversations IRL. I don't online either however. I'm terrible at it. Worse IRL than online.

Edited July 27, 2014 by Twilly F. Sniper

[Visual Spectrum 1,932]

I have multiple personalities, but I will try to say what is most common online and what is most common offline. 

 

Online:

1. Social
2. Loves parties
3. Romantic
4. Fabulous
5. Open

 

Offline:

1. Introvert
2. Prefers to sleep all day
3. Can't talk to anyone for the life of me
4. Rude
5. I have no real friends that I talk to offline. 

[Derpaholic 1,155]

Online:                                              

-Outgoing.
-Social.
-Talkative (or is that typative? Oh well, whatever.)
-Open.

Offline:

 

-Reserved.
-Shut-in.
-Quiet.
-Unsocial.


 

Edited August 17, 2014 by Derp My Life

[Magnolia 83]

Online:

 

- Open

- Kind

- Social

 

Offline:

 

- Quiet

- Shy

- Introvert

[SuddenSleep 40]

Well, the only difference between the real-life-me and the online-life-me is...i greet people by typing "hi!" in online interaction...in real interaction, i just smile at them or do nothing... ( I'm quite shy and less talkative in both world )

[Hashi 323]

Online

I'm a nice person, I do nice things for people. I am the comedic effect of several small communities and the backbone of a server that I watch over.

Unless you do something to hurt me or somebody I like, In which case I will do everything within my power and use every single one of my assets to get even (putting it nicely)

Both are facades (unless I'm having fun or am irritated) I normally only type as "myself" here on these forums.

 

Offline

I blend into the background very well despite being just over 6ft

I don't talk unless spoken to and am the very image of politeness (I just stand there and think a lot)

Otherwise I have the comedian facade for the children (I'm really good with kids for some reason)

And like before hurting me or a friend will not go well for you, especially since this time I can reach you.

 

Although its kinda sad sometimes that nobody actually knows "me"

Edited August 17, 2014 by Hazukashii Flux

[GammaDove 428]

I'm a lot more open to people on the internet because when you live in a small town and everybody else in it can't keep a secret, then you learn to just keep it in. I'm also more outgoing on the internet, I'll try harder to make friends and will voice my opinions more often. 

I'm actually noticed and people seem to care what I have to say on the internet.

The best way to put it is that I have more confidence on the internet; the internet is a powerful mask that holds great power, but it affects people in different ways, for me, it adds confidence but I still retain who I really am. It's like a mask that's a one-way mirror for me, It doesn't really change who I am, but to me it seems like it does.

[catnet 9,353]

Online

• Open
• Positive
• Happy! And excited and alive!! ^o^
• *HUGS*
• More playful
• Kinda rubbish at conversations

Offline

• Reserved
• ... not so positive, I guess? 
• Plain, not really much of anything but shy =/
• Emotionally dead
• Horrible at conversations
• No hugs Unless you mention it first, of course... 

Edited February 8, 2015 by Edwarda_Bronette

[Handsome Changeling 1,851]

Oh well Online I am very polite and rarely swear out of being more polite, I am quite serious but still have my joking side, I am also very easy going with anything said to me and who I meet, I think long and hard before I post too.

Offline is a totally different matter, I am quite vulgar, swear constantly and talk ALL the time, and I am OVERLY hyper, my hyperness gets me in trouble often since I do before think usually

[EddG 554]

Simular... Except I am really shy in real life.

[KatonRyu 1,026]

Online I tend to be slightly more eloquent than I am offline. Also in daily life I usually speak Dutch, not English and I'm a lot more vulgar than I am here. Years ago, though, I was more akin to a troll who did end up in several flame wars with lots of insults back and forth, although I've long since seen the stupidity of that and became a bit more mature.

 

I'm just as reluctant online as off to start actual conversations, although I have no problems replying to forums.

[Shift 4,271]

Online i'll speak my mind a lot more then I would offline. And i'm pretty antisocial offline.

[Pastel 7,627]

Honestly I don't think my online personality is different from my offline personality...

[Moonlight 7,279]

Offline:

 

Barely talks

Quiet

Introverted

Loner

Anti-social

Always in a bad mood

Extremely Sensitive 

 

Online:

 

Friendlier but also rude as hell

Relatively quiet

Always in a bad mood but just disguised

Scared to interact with anyone

Extremely sensitive

 

 

I'm overall usually very introverted and anti-social since I'm uncomfortable around humans, both offline and online.

[Po-Nonimous 583]

First, I had to laugh at this: "a Reddit user might inadvertently sprout a fedora."

 

After reading that I had this mental image of Redditors all over the world suddenly and similtaneously sprouting fedoras accompanied by a sound like that of a hundred feet of bubble wrap being run over by a steam roller! LOL!!)

 

But, as to who I am online? Honestly, I'm really no different online than I am offline. Yes, I'm always the same funny, weird, crazy mildly lunatic, sometimes serious, always honest, endlessly caring guy that you see right here on this forum and I like it that way.