CestinShaman wrote:
Uglysasquatch wrote:
I can't beleive you all fell for this. Cestin is only claiming to be bisexual to get quick acceptance into the OOT. Obviously, it failed miserably as the thread got shifted ot the Asylum. But with all you Queens constantly going on about being gay, he felt this was the best way to get noticed. He's only stating that he's Bi becvause he needs a cover for when he mentions something about his "girlfriend" down the road.
I figured I could make a topic about finding things out about myself, exploring and maturing, but I suppose that was too much for some people and they just have to break down with an insult or whatever this was.
Really, I try to be honest in posts and things. I'm not sure I've mentioned it before, but I'm not 21, or even 18, I'm 15. I remember IDrownFish being around the same age as well, and has Sage. (Good job bro. :D) I figure that honesty is what a forum community is based on, and sharing your life, feelings and personality is a good step to take to "fit in." Honesty has a way of spreading I think, and everyone needs to be in order to construct a nice, enjoyable forum. (Again, this is just my opinion.)
Firstly, I agree that honesty and trustworthiness has a way of spreading in a community, if you are consistent with it.
Secondly, different forums develop different societies.
Allakhazam, especially the OOT and the Asylum forums are a particularly complex forum society, as far as I can tell, from dipping into other forums. It's a precarious mix, but an interesting one to me, and obviously interesting to many others.
But I have to say that it's not all about unvarnished honesty, and unfailing earnest replies to that honesty. You will find many examples of that here. You'll find a lot of acceptance here. But you also have to look after your own emotional health, and have strong personal boundaries here. Because the complexity and interest of this place is that it is also a place for the joking and the hyper-non-serious posts and replies. Including robust debate, and personal derision. In the Asylum outright flame wars and trolling is permitted.
Truth is also a playful commodity here, and white lies often-by-omission serve a valuable social service. Many people here are shy in RL situations, and feel much more comfortable having social lives here where they can open up in anonymity, with details about their life and their looks occluded.
I'm really happy to hear your story. It's certainly an important and large facet of your life. Growing up in the internet age also means you are going to have to become internet literate. It's got its own social rules. It has its own dangers that people need to perceive and navigate.
I personally value honesty and earnestness. Uglysasquatch values entertaining himself and other people with razor edged jokes. Razor edged jokes and outright insults can hurt, but there's a way of living, of having strong personal boundaries that means they don't have to. That is, you don't have to be cut if you don't want to be, or don't go near the razor. It took me a long time to grow up to that point, but it's comfy when you get there.
Or you know, you could take Ugly seriously, and treat this as an insult, and insult him back, and Ugly could get delighted and really lay a personal insult into you, and you could retaliate in kind, and then the rest of us could bask in a sparkly Flame War, because we just don't have enough of those these days.
Edited, Sep 22nd 2009 5:46am by Aripyanfar