1st post of 2010: Do you find me different in person than on LJ?

[thatcrazycajun]

My sweetie has told me that she perceives a distinct difference between the way I present myself to her and others in person and the personality I project with my rantings and musings here in this journal. She observes that my LJ self is much wittier, more thoughtful, urbane and confident than I am in corpus.

So I got curious, knowing that many of those on my friends list have known me in meatspace for years or even decades prior to my starting this journal. Should you be one of those, I put it to you: If you had not known the poster of this page was me and had constructed a mental image of what this person was like in behavior, attitudes, expression and so on, would that person contrast at all with the shy, skinny white Cajun guy you have known in the real world? And if so, by how much—say, on a scale of 1-5, 1 being no difference at all and 5 being "who the holy frak is this guy and why is Matt's picture on his journal?" I would like to read your thoughts on this, in the spirit of self-improvement traditional to the day.

"Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us
To see oursel's as others see us!
It wad frae monie a blunder free us
And foolish notion."
—Robert Burns, Scots poet/philosopher, 1759-1796 (who also wrote the song we all sang last night)

Comments

[poltr1]

I've only met you once in person, so I'll say a 2.

[sffilk.livejournal.com]

In person, to me anyway, you're not as outspoken than you are here on the live journal. But I also know that you open up to me a bit and I'm not sure if you're the same with others in a social setting. Maybe it's because I keep stuffing you full of Figo, I don't know. But here, you really put your thoughts out there.

[mshollie.livejournal.com]

No difference to me, as I would have known it was you all along. I know you too well.

Would you have known that my rants belonged to me?

[stevemb.livejournal.com]

Real life needs an "edit" button....

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

You're gentler in person.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

Yes, this.

[banjoplayinnerd.livejournal.com]

Never having met you in person, I couldn't say. But I have found that the majority of my online acquaintances I've met in person have been pretty much the same offline as on.

[baggette.livejournal.com]

I don't know you in 'real-time', but personally, I have found that I am much more articulate in my journaling. I take more time to measure my words and relay my thoughts, because I can. I speak well on an extemperary basis; I speak even more intelligently when I can take the time to consider my words carefully.

I started taking note of this fact a few years ago. I began to take more time in 'real space' to listen more, talk less, and consider what I have to say more carefully. So, now, I am closer in-person to my LJ persona.