TV has a show "lie to me". The premise is that every thing we say(write), words, phrases, react says something about us regardless if we want it too or not.

I've noticed that people tend to be very self privacy conscious that is fine but are incredibly less guarded about what they say about themselves (their personalities) by their answers. Sometimes it's even what they don't say that may be a key.

e.g. A recent post talked about how those asylum seekers who could pay people smugglers were less deserving that those who couldn't.

Not only is it logically dubious, given it's source, it does contain INDICATORS as to the author's real feelings.

Likewise the fractious poster who suddenly claims that others don't know them to criticise yet spends an inordinate amount of time criticising, name calling of others.

Think about this what your pseudonym says about you to others.

NB this is NOT aimed at any specific person or persons. Mine is 'examinator' (ant)
To me it is a title give to me by political activists because I crawled over council documents finding stinging flaws for the councillors.
To others it varies from the polite to insults and accusations party bias in most cases these response also say a lot about their authors

IMO we ARE what we DO and there is no hiding.

So how much do you think you know about the personalities of others (not necessarily OLOers)? How much do you think they know about You? WHY?
discuss.

Forrest proved he knew about me, those who forget what they say and do here need to read this.
Mad at taunting from a poster I put my name out there in a thread.
My post history will tell my union.
It tells my age and just about home village.
As I have said in other threads body language is much like that we display about ourself in the written word.
So not much is hidden is it examinator?
My ham radio call is not hidden, could have done it, too late and do not care ,but it pin points me.
But while I can handle unwanted contact we all must understand face book and such will hurt a great many.
note spam is asking the unwary to renew name details there, well a waste on me I never will use it.

Dear Examinator,

How much do I think you know about me?

Probably quite a lot.

We've been posters on OLO for quite some
time now and have covered many subjects
and emotive situations - dealing with
them in our own individual ways - which
would tell us quite a lot about each other.

I've always believed that language is the
keystone to culture. Without the medium
of expression (spoken or written), complex
patterns of thought, emotion, knowledge,
and belief could not be shared. When an
animal dies, everything it has learned
dies with it. But language gives us humans
a history - access to social experience and
accumulated knowledge of the people that have
gone before us.

By posting on OLO, we communicate our thoughts to
people - and as you pointed out -
these thoughts and emotions - give an insight
into who we are

You could be right Foxy.
The indig; people never had this but they stand on their colture as if it meant life or death.
So are your comments all that right.

My short answer to examinator's topical question is 'very little more than I want him to'.

Then again, I could be wrong. Perhaps he could even prove me wrong, right here on OLO, but I doubt it.

Intriguing as it might be to think we can identify things indicative as to the 'real person' behind any OLO pseudonym, what would be the point in doing so? The only thing that comes readily to mind is that such information could be seen as useful in 'playing the man, and not the ball'. In other words, in shutting down a discussion, or seeking to derail a developing line of argument, by being able to resort to the use of labels and stereotypes that can be represented as applying to a particular poster.

That being said, posters who choose to use pseudonyms would be wise to heed Belly's advice to not reveal their real identity. If posting upon any topic in which there is significant public interest, rest assured that those who demand to know your real identity want to do so in order to damage your credibility in some way outside of the discussion in which you may be involved. There is seldom any other purpose.

It is true I 'found' Belly incredibly easily, but that was with the head start of knowing his real name. A Google search and two or three phone calls achieved the objective of provoking an acquaintance to check that he had not had some misfortune that accounted for his uncharacteristic absence for a period from OLO. I learned nothing more, and sought to learn nothing more, about Belly from that contact. Yet from what he has said on OLO from time to time, if I wanted I suspect I could walk right up to his door! No holiday for Halliday, if you get my point. (Gee, reference to that old fictional detective dates me, doesn't it!)

Never has self-censorship within the mainstream media and political discourse been more evident than now. OLO breaks that 'deal'. Don't underestimate the Forum's value.

Forrest, again you made me laugh in your every post humor, wisdom, and mischief.
And a hidden clue, see I can not hide FG hide a thing that tells me he knows within 30 klm my hiding place.
Warning , its my cave, my place is named Belly's hideaway, my mates know if the door is shut Belly is in the cave.
Had to change the color of my home it was once blue.
But this is true, every one of us should take note, protect your self, great damage has been done to the unwary here on the web.
To me, by releasing my name I fell victim to insanity and spite, only thing is I fought back, the harm remained for years.
I want every one to know we each must not fall into the trap of letting the unknown into our life, it can hurt you it will hurt you if you act unwisely.
PS
I have 2 computers now
so may not get lost again