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I am reminded of the relatively recent poll on HN about whether to use real names. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5721896 https://news.ycombinator.com/it

by gyepi 13y ago

I am reminded of the relatively recent poll on HN about whether to use real names. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5721896 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5721896 At the time, I was of the opinion that using real names was fine because the internet is a public space and one could self moderate. However, one big difference between this public space and public spaces INRL is that this one never forgets. I think this is a significant qualitative difference. With the ability to sift through the past, this means that your past self is not really past. I guess Faulkner was right. Imagine having to explain your past to every new person you meet!

PavlovsCat 13y ago
Imagine having to explain your past to every new person you meet! Every time I try to imagine that, that person ends up failing to explain to me why they're so lame... I can honestly not think of anything I ever said that I would be ashamed of in comparison to that. Sure, sometimes "old stuff" can be an indicator for what to look out for in the "current stuff", and I am fine with that, even if just to not be a hypocrite. But other than that, obsessing about things that are months or even years past just betrays people who never learn and never change projecting their mediocrity on me - and if they cannot see that, I have to do it for them :)
hobs 13y ago
Don't worry, you are not that interesting.
- gyepi 13y ago
  Not to you, at this point in time. In any case, the point stands regardless of your level of interest. Even boring people deserve the same measure of privacy as interesting people, maybe even more. Furthermore, I claim that when the costs (dollars or time) of finding out about anyone are low enough it won't take much interest to warrant a look at a person's history. How long did it take for people to start googling new acquaintances and potential dates?

by gyepi 13y ago

PavlovsCat 13y ago

Imagine having to explain your past to every new person you meet! Every time I try to imagine that, that person ends up failing to explain to me why they're so lame... I can honestly not think of anything I ever said that I would be ashamed of in comparison to that. Sure, sometimes "old stuff" can be an indicator for what to look out for in the "current stuff", and I am fine with that, even if just to not be a hypocrite. But other than that, obsessing about things that are months or even years past just betrays people who never learn and never change projecting their mediocrity on me - and if they cannot see that, I have to do it for them :)

hobs 13y ago

Don't worry, you are not that interesting.

gyepi 13y ago
Not to you, at this point in time. In any case, the point stands regardless of your level of interest. Even boring people deserve the same measure of privacy as interesting people, maybe even more. Furthermore, I claim that when the costs (dollars or time) of finding out about anyone are low enough it won't take much interest to warrant a look at a person's history. How long did it take for people to start googling new acquaintances and potential dates?