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Originally Posted by Erin Pavlina  I just make sure that everything I state publicly online is something I am willing to stand behind. |
Bingo -- Erin's got it. When deciding what name I would use for this forum I had to decide whether I'd go my usual route and use an alias, or if I'd use my real name, and if so, whether I'd use my full name or not.
Suffice to say my main resistance I had to work through with using my <gasp!> real name was whether I was willing to be accountable and responsible for my actions. But then it dawned upon me that alias or not, I was already responsible for my actions. Ok, maybe it would be harder to peg what I say/do to my real name if I used an alias, but largely any actions you take anywhere can be traced back to you with a bit of effort (unless you try really hard to avoid that, anyone who tries hard enough will likely succeed, whether it’s legal or not). I didn’t use an alias in “real life”, so it made no sense to me to use one in another world that, despite it’s virtual nature, is equally real (I’m referring to the internet by the way). While it may seem safer using an alias, I don’t believe that logic is very sound.
Take the internet for example. Every time you visit a website you are supplying the owner of that website with part of your personal browsing information, as well as information that can be used to trace any actions you take back to you via your ISP -- a sort of online snail trail of sorts. Some people may not be aware of this and that lack of awareness gives them an illusionary feeling of invulnerability and a sense that they can do whatever they like without consequences. But that’s just a false sense of security; an inaccurate belief that can ultimately get you into trouble. Eg. I once knew someone who had his internet account closed by his ISP because he downloaded a movie illegally from a peer to peer file sharing network. Apparently the ISP was contacted from a third party that was connected somehow with the movie he was downloading and that’s all it took for him to have his account shut down and to be blacklisted with that particular ISP.
So getting back to the question, “is using your real name safe”, I think the answer is that it’s safe to the degree that you take responsibility for your actions (or inactions). Ultimately it’s about becoming more conscious and aware. As Steve often says, you can choose to deny your power, but never responsibility. I think the real reason most (I repeat, "most", not all) people use an alias rather then their real name is out of fear and/or resistance of/to that responsibility. It was certainly the case with me for years.
Have I found it safe using my real name on the internet? I’d say it’s been just as “safe” as using my name in “real life”. Really it’s a matter of understanding the environment you operate in. If you undertand the “rules of the game” so to speak you have nothing to worry about. Just like you have no reason to fear a hot stove once you know how to use it intelligently, you have no reason to fear using your name on the internet or in “real life” once you know what moves are considered to be intelligent and what are not.