Dear clipper:
When Are We Really Real is not just a good title for your post but a rather profound question to ask in light of how fragmented, volatile, duplicitous, and insulting the great debate can get.
First and foremost, we are all “real�?people. I am a “real�?person and everyone else I spend time with on line is a “real�?person. As “real�?people sitting at different keyboards, we experience “real�?feelings, think “real�?thoughts, and make “real�?life choices influenced by the quality of our on line involvements.
Yes, yes, I know �?maybe they are not “really�?who or what they say they are. That only makes them an inauthentic person and someone I might not take very seriously �?whether on or off line. They are, however, still “real�?human beings. I make it a point to look for a person’s authenticity rather than gauging whether he or she is a “real�?dominant or submissive. Even the most annoying, aggravating, or despicable person is simply that. Those qualities do not diminish whatever dominant or submissive personality traits they possess but does diminish the interest and level of involvement I am likely to invest in them either on or off line.
All of the time one spends on Line is “real.�?nbsp; Each second, minute, and hour that ticks by is “real.�?nbsp; Time is not suspended like in a dream state or hallucination in which it becomes distorted. All of this very real time is part of a person’s “real life.�?nbsp; Terms such as “real time�?or “real life�?are used frequently on line but are in fact inaccurate and incorrect as well as offensive. It is far more accurate and less offensive to use terms like off line, face to face, or off line life to differentiate experiences that occur away from the on line environment.
When Are We Really Real is something to be considered by anyone participating on line especially if they want to take part in the great debate in a productive way. I will respond to more of your questions later when I have the time but I could not help being struck by the importance of what your title is asking. Thank you