Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Blog vs game vs real life selves

Blogging has been an interesting experience for me. I've been surprised at how long I've kept up with it, the number of people I've met through it, and generally how much I've enjoyed it. Though from very early on, I have been curious how I come across on the blog vs how I am in real life vs how I am in game.

I wondered this when my guildies and friends in game first started to read my blog back in the day. I think I asked some folks if I came across differently on the blog than I do in game. Similarly, those like Nicolause who read this blog before meeting me in game, I am curious if I am different in game than the perception he got on the blog.

I haven't regularly been on my toons in Single Abstract Noun in a while, but it was incredibly interesting to see how other bloggers you've read for a while interacted within guild chat. Some were just as you expected (whatever that means), whereas others gave you a different (not necessarily good, or bad, just different) impression than you got from their blog.

Blogging in a way is a very controlled medium. I mean, we generally think about what we choose to write and share here before we do it. Comparatively, I would guess that we don't think as much before saying or doing things in game or in real life.

So is it possible that people whose personalities I really like on their blogs, I may not mesh as well with in game or in real life? Sure. But I think its also important for me to remember that perhaps those folks whose personalities I don't necessarily like on their blogs... that that is just one side of them that they are presenting. Perhaps I would like them better in game or in real life.

I also think its important to remember that these WoW blogs we read are from the perspective of that one blogger. For every story they tell that involves people or events that transpired, its their perspective, their view, their opinion. And there is another side to it.

Even all the asshat stories I've shared here... while you long term readers may be more sympathetic to me and be more "on my side" (whatever that means), which I really love you guys for, recognize that there is another side to the story. You are only reading my personal take on it, my opinion. What I guess I'm basically saying is that don't assume every story that a blogger shares is 100% what transpired. Just remember you're reading their side of the story.

So between my blog self, in game self, and real life self, what is the real me? Well honestly, I think the real me is a compilation of all three. There are things I can do or say on the blog or in game that I would be more hesitant to do in real life. Conversely, there is a part of my real life personality that has never been shared on the blog or in-game.

I think I just made a huge circle, and I'm not exactly sure what my point is with this post. Perhaps its this... when you read someone's blog, you are getting their personal opinions and a view of their blog self. A self that may or may not necessarily coincide with their in-game self or their real life self.

11 comments:

  1. It's pretty interesting to think about the different parts of our stories and personalities that we present on blogs, in game, and in person. Thanks for the food for thought, Keredria. Now I'm going to want to ask people I've met in various mediums what *they* think!

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  2. I've known some buggers what is exactlies the same, in every medium. Me, on the other hand, I specced me RL avatar 5/14/52 nerd, 'stead of 71/0/0 virility, so we's fairly different. Just as well, considerings his career path. I'd say in-game tends ta be much more him than me, but I manages to bust loose now and then.

    K, you always strikes me as similar in all three, though not the same. A little snarkier in the blog, not so much in RL, somewheres in-between in game. Like, the same meal, but served with different wine.

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  3. @Vidyala: *wave! Thanks! I love your blog BTW!

    @Ratters: You are right, I definitely am snarkier on the blog. In game and in real life I am a sweet and shy and sensitive flower. (er...)

    But awesome analogy about the same meal with different wines! Perhaps that is true for me!

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  4. My blog self is much less awkward than my real life self. More patient than my game self. Or maybe blogs are like cocaine and just make us think we're a lot better than we are.

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  5. In my real life I am as chaste, and pure as the driven snow. In my blog life I am a wisened old sage, doling out the secrets of the universe. In my game self, I am the team player, helping enable people reach their full potential.

    Wha? It's true...kinda...sorta...

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  6. @Klep: Yep... because we can plan/edit what we write on our blogs, it is probably a more polished version of how we truly are.

    @Riv: Yes, I always had a strong strong feeling that in real life you were just full of glitter and rainbows and cupcakes.

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  7. But my truly are isn't polished! It's like scrubbing the rust off found art. Sure it's cleaner, but it's fake now. Then again, found art is 99% shit. I'm not being very nice to myself...

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  8. Oooh a thinking post!

    Funny enough, I'm the same in WoW, Blog AND RL. Sadly. Haha. I can't pretend to be someone I'm not when I'm writting, otherwise it wouldn't be ME. Hence the reason I am hesitant to post math posts. I just don't do that in RL, yo!

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  9. Indeed, a thinking post *strokes philosophy beard*

    I have to admit, from the emails and the comments, you strike me as the sort of person who is probably similar in all media. But, again, that's just an impression from your blog ;)

    I think some people can sometimes forget (he hedges) how far blogging can be a persona - I have no idea how far I match up to mine.

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  10. Very interesting post indeed!

    I try very hard to just be "me", wherever I am. On my blog, in game or in person I try to be the same person. Granted, in person I'm a bit more shy until I become comfortable around you, but everything is still there underneath.

    Am I successful at it? I don't know. Sometimes in vent/guild chat I'm more reserved than what wharf speak is spewing from my mouth as we wipe to incredibly irritating things. But in public I wouldn't be holler the things going on in my inner dialogue either. So perhaps that is just me :)

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  11. @LB: I hear ya on the maths! But the funny thing is that I do a decent amount of maths and financial modeling/analysis in my real life. But I am horrible at it here.

    @Tam: Yes, exactly. As a blogger, you can put out any persona you want, it is much more scripted than how you behave in game or in real life.

    And from the emails you and I have traded, I have a feeling you are very much similar to the impression I get from your blog as well.

    @Beru: I wonder if people think they are themselves in each medium, but they really aren't? Or certain sides dominate? Hmmm...

    Though from chatting with you in game and via emails, I feel that you are very similar on the blog and in game as well.

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