douglas mesner
Thinker
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2009
- Messages
- 241
She might do this for business reasons, but I do see the irony. Most of the people posting on this thread are posting in their real names. Monica Pignotti posts and works in her real name. It's the same thing over on the 9/1 subforum. almost all the Truthers use screen names, and some of them are leading figures in their conspiracy movement. Only Tony Szamboti posts in his real name and he's always whining how JREF members don't use their real names. It's a strange manifestation of cowardice.
I don't have a problem with screen name aliases. However, it is irksome when it happens -- as it did somewhere in the Amazon threads of the 22 Faces book reviews -- that somebody using a screen name carries on about their credentials and qualifications. Either you state exactly who you are, or you give up the right to claim any unique qualifications whatsoever -- you're left to making an actual argument (which you should do regardless of whether you can prove certain credentials or not). I don't understand, when people using screen names are presenting valid arguments that would remain valid regardless of who they are in the "real world", you get these real name tough-guys ranting about the aliases. What is it they are really asking for? Are they saying that they want to try looking this person up and meeting face-to-face so as to "settle this like men", or some such idiocy? Are they saying they are going to sue the person commenting? Are they simply saying they would like to look that person up and use whatever they can in an ad hominem attack that distracts from whatever the topic is at hand? It's never quite clear.
So anyway -- in my mind, it's fine to use a screen name if you aren't trying to use your anecdote or credentials, or otherwise using the idea of unique knowledge that can't be traced by your screen name, to support your position.
I just find it hilarious that I have all these screen names and aliases crying about a pen-name that conceals nothing.
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