The problem with reading the last things first
by zen_
Posted to Utterances on 2003-12-29 12:13:00
Parent message is 571579
is that one misses the context. Don’t think that would’ve stopped me from posting what I said anyway. I think Billectric is right about getting people to read continuously. Similar names appearing continuously allows one to feel comfortable enough with people to start sharing more intimate stuff. I think that if new names kept popping-up, this site would seem like even more of a wind-tunnel than it already is.
I read what Firsty said below. I applaud it. My thought turned to names in general. Ever wonder why we have so much trouble remembering other people’s names in real life? Well there was a guest on NPR talking about language. He said that we can hardly remember names of people because in the Western world, names are more like labels we put on ourselves, and children. How many Joes, Johns, Jims, Chris’, Daves, Petes, Marks, Bills (no offense), do we all know? Probably thousands. These might as well read, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Fridgidaire, Kenmore, Pioneer, IBM, Intel and Xerox. These names imposed upon us seem to do litle more than identify us out of a crowd. That’s why the internet is so wonderful. As ironic or paradoxical as it might be, it allows us the ability to become individuals again. Yes, the price of this is anonymity, and existence without a body, but that might be all for the better.
I’m one of the few people who’ve actually chosen my own name and had it legally changed. Zen is my real name; actually a middle name of a MUCH longer name. I chose a pen name. I have to agree with Firsty like I said because my names identify certain parts of my personae, overall. As a logical extension to this, I say: sure, I should be allowed to have more than one screen name on the site.
But I also have to reiterate what I said earlier. Good writers should be able to change their voices and tones to reflect different stories and circumstances. But this requires skill and thought. I know that good writing can only come from discipline, whether I want it or not. I think that as a great exercise, whether I enjoy it or not, is to allow people to get to know one me, and to make myself vulnerable to stand there and accept the criticism and praise that people throw my way. In short, be still and quiet enough for people to get to know me, and talk with me. Maybe I’ll learn something in the process.