Anonymous Blogging Part One

Driving into Anonymity. Black and White print, C. MacDonald, 1992.

This article is dedicated to Anonymous Midwest Girl .

Anonymity Part One

Three things converged and when that happens I generally act, or at least write.

The first was a request from fellow blogger Anonymous Midwest Girl to write a story for her after she had read my piece of fiction below. Unfortunately, though I am one, I do not feel in the mood to write one this week.

But I did want to honor her request (who can resist those dimples?) so that was the first prodding.

The second came from reading anonymous postings at a popular site. We have all seen these cowards before...the rail and rant and accuse and smear and never leave their names so there is no possibility of response or responsibility.

Idiots and cowards.

Third was an email from someone who would want to remain anonymous about the dangers of blogging. She sent me this article, which is worth reading. In fact, upon reading it I immediately separated my professional sites from my various blogs because, frankly, too much information is not what potential employers want.

In fact, they want to make sure all you think about is them...not relationships, meaning, God, spirituality, sex, fucking, drinking, epistemologies, politics or simply pouring out in blog form what is truly on your mind.

Her email simply said "Beware" and it's good advice...to a point.

The above photo kinda captures it for me. Major connections and transport across a grand divide, but much is shrouded in fog...incognito from the shore.

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Let's start with "beware". Blogging is journaling in public space. When you were a kid you might break into your sister's room and try and get at her diary...to get some edge. Reading the personal thoughts of others can be dangerous both ways, but mostly for the one writing.

It's how I found out my Ex (then) wife was in love with our therapist.

So, the solution for most bloggers is three-fold.

Some simply do not write about anything that could ever be used against them. They just love to write clever shit and work it.

Others, maintain a deep level of incognito...no pictures, no location...not their real name. The let fly. I find a lot of these folk are natural introverts who finally get to air it out. That's good. Very good. Their blogs are often, by far, the best.

Then there are those who create new personas where they kinda get to do both. or, perhaps, they get to try new ideas on without agreeing with them at all.

Let me give you some examples from a few I read daily.

Every morning I get up and like getting the paper (though it is far better) I go to my daily read. Here is how they shake out anonymity-wise.

Immoderation Girls: Not much anonymity here at all. We Know a great deal about Lindsey and she wants us to. She is smart, funny, pretty (to say the least) and wants to be a star. I feel sure she will be.

Friction Friction: We know his name is Greg, and a general local. We also know (from other bloggers) that he is a sexy beast and is wicked smart. But no pictures. He has the middle ground. We know alot about him but could never spot him in a crowd at a Blogger convention (though I might suspect).

Sex Scenes at Starbucks: Smart woman. No picture because she is probably a sexy beast. She is careful to remain anonymous. We have corresponded for months and we never broach that subject. Good friends, but I do not need a picture or details.

By the way she sees pictures of me and my family all the time. It is different for men and women. Of course I am utterly trustworthy, but many men on the Internet are not. Thus I relish our conversations but do not need anything beyond that. Some of that is also my respect for her husband, a man I am sure I would greatly enjoy as I do her.

Waving or Drowning: Mike Todd seeks no anonymity at all. Open-ended exploration of spiritual and political issues no holds-barred, yet with grace and care.

A Canadian site went down. I cannot find her site because she took it all down after he went into a bar in canada and someone recognized her...which brings up the whole issue of women posting photos.

It's not exactly the same for men. I doubt any woman has downloaded my picture and is, er, well pleasing herself with it in view (I kinda need to be there personally, or so I am told).

Simply Complicated: Yong Mimi is a literary phenom. She is funny, unrepressed and I could get her a book contract. But she wants to remain anonymous. I respect and admire this. She'll be a phenomenal author in ten years when she decides to not be anonymous (and yes I still wanna be her agent...I saw her first!)

All these writers and so many more write full on and honest to some degree. The degree is sometimes synonymous to their level of anonymity (except Lindsey and Mike).

Which really makes sense in a repressed culture like ours (which itself is such an irony).