Why do people hide behind a screen name

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Posted By: T206Collector

I actually have the same question in reverse -- why do you want to use your real name and let people know who you really are in an internet chat site that is searchable by Google? It is a privacy issue for me, but let me take it one step farther...

I am very happy to have built relationships with certain board members in terms of buying/selling/trading vintage cards. It leads to increased trust and better collections. I am sure that in-person relationships might assist in that venture. Maybe you met your best friend in the whole wide world on this board -- the kind of friend that you can puke in his lap and he'll just pat you on the back and tell you to get it all out. But the idea of getting together in the real world with a big group of you is, well, unquestionably creepy to me. Yet, you guys have pool parties and set up dinners at baseball card shows to meet each other in person and show off your collections to someone who actually cares about them, in ways that your wives, girlfriends, children may not -- theoretically, I get that, too. But, yikes, that sound awfully weird to me. I'm not into baseball cards to make friends or enemies. And, when you take issue with someone on-line, and you use real names, it gets very personal very quickly. If you keep screen names, then it is just that, a screen personality. An alter ego. It is much harder to get insulted or, frankly, to be insulting.

Finally, what does using my name as opposed to T206Collector consistently tell you about me that you don't already know? What additional information is gained by using my real name? There is nothing good that comes from it, at least nothing I want out of it.

You guys all seem nice, and I read your posts all the time with much enjoyment. I have added to my collection and found good sales and trades on the BST thread, many many times. That is 100% satisfaction for me. I really don't want to have you over to see my collection, I don't want to meet you in person over a bite to eat.

No offense meant.

T206Collector