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.