rob_t_firefly ,
@rob_t_firefly@lemmy.world avatar

This is an interesting way of thinking about things. I would have probably agreed entirely with this when I was a kid on the early Internet, experimenting, making mistakes, and figuring out who I was and what sort of person I wanted to strive to be.

Now, as a middle-aged old fart who has used the same screenname everywhere online for decades, I generally prefer to fully consider everything I say, whether online or in real life, and contribute things I truly mean to put out there as myself. I also prefer to have a real life, job, family and friends, etc. compatible with the weirdass person I genuinely am everywhere, which includes my online work, activities, opinions, shitposts, etc.

For example, I got so active in subcultural projects and stuff from my online life over the years that things from it built up into legitimate features of my real-life portfolios and resumes and get talked about in job interviews, so I simply don't pursue work at places which would have a problem with finding that stuff out about me. Similarly, my universal screenname and weird online stuff were in my profile on the dating app where I met the person to whom I'm now happily married, and that person enjoys and even helps me do my weird online bullshit while being the greatest real-life partner I could ever ask for.

It's all come together in a rather comfy way for me, and I ultimately find it a much more freeing way to live than trying to do the secret-identity thing.

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