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I've never even read that book, but I probably should. As it's described in the article, I see many parallels with today's anonymised internet culture - we can

I've never even read that book, but I probably should. As it's described in the article, I see many parallels with today's anonymised internet culture - we can be someone else, someone who doesn't have to fear any consequences for what he says, we can lie on the internet to (try to) form other's perception of ourselves, thus being whoever we want to be. But ultimately it's still the same person making those decisions, typing those words and decepting those other people, who may not be all that honest themselves. Not to be compared with murder, obviously, but I feel like the same principle applies.

Angostura 9y ago
Dr Jeckyll and Mr Troll?
ckastner 9y ago
> As it's described in the article, I see many parallels with today's anonymised internet culture - we can be someone else, someone who doesn't have to fear any consequences for what he says, we can lie on the internet to (try to) form other's perception of ourselves, thus being whoever we want to be. See also the "Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory" from 2004: https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19 https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19
woliveirajr 9y ago
I would just add that internet requires some effort (great effort) to find the original person. And in the book, the distiction is a bit different: whatever someone does in "real life", his body, face, voice... it's all the same. In small villages it's impossible to hide. In bigger cities at that time, it wasn't so big, people still know each other among his social circle. And it was easy to notice someone leaving his own circle and appearing in another. So, what internet gives you as a basic (easy to be anonymous, in the sense that commmon people perceive it, I'm not talking about using tor and so on), Jekyll had to blame on his drink. And blaming saves his face: wasn't he blaming it, he couldn't say that the "monster" was doing things that, in the end, he was trying to.... hyde.
lostboys67 9y ago
Arguably its about the hypocrisy of Victorian England
- icebraining 9y ago
  Yeah, same as the Picture of Dorian Gray, which has similar themes.

Angostura 9y ago

Dr Jeckyll and Mr Troll?

ckastner 9y ago

> As it's described in the article, I see many parallels with today's anonymised internet culture - we can be someone else, someone who doesn't have to fear any consequences for what he says, we can lie on the internet to (try to) form other's perception of ourselves, thus being whoever we want to be. See also the "Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory" from 2004: https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19 https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19

woliveirajr 9y ago

I would just add that internet requires some effort (great effort) to find the original person. And in the book, the distiction is a bit different: whatever someone does in "real life", his body, face, voice... it's all the same. In small villages it's impossible to hide. In bigger cities at that time, it wasn't so big, people still know each other among his social circle. And it was easy to notice someone leaving his own circle and appearing in another. So, what internet gives you as a basic (easy to be anonymous, in the sense that commmon people perceive it, I'm not talking about using tor and so on), Jekyll had to blame on his drink. And blaming saves his face: wasn't he blaming it, he couldn't say that the "monster" was doing things that, in the end, he was trying to.... hyde.

lostboys67 9y ago

Arguably its about the hypocrisy of Victorian England

icebraining 9y ago
Yeah, same as the Picture of Dorian Gray, which has similar themes.