Why is everyone anonymous?

[aprilmayjune]

I get on here and sign in, and my username shows up whenever I post.. How come more people aren't signed in? How come everyone is anonymous on here?

[Anonymous]

I don't see the incentive behind getting a username. I mostly just lurk. I post once in awhile, but still -- why register?

[Anonymous]

aprilmayjune wrote:I get on here and sign in, and my username shows up whenever I post.. How come more people aren't signed in? How come everyone is anonymous on here?

So we can be mean, snarky, bitchy--and no one knows who we are. This may be good because if we gt out frustrations out on DCUM we don't take it out on DH or DCs.

[Anonymous]

I've seen many of your posts, and I always have so much respect for you for not being anonymous. I'm way too bitchy for that. Seriously though, I often post about my child, or things related to my pregnancy, or even things having to do with my DH--things I wouldn't want to put my identity on.

[aprilmayjune]

Ah okay.. lots of these things make sense.. I found the website, and before I realized that everyone was posting anonymously I signed up.. I post a lot of bitchy things too, but I really don't think that anyone knows who I am so I don't worry about it (my screen name for most everything else I do is MUCH more identifying..) But I understand and it makes a lot of sense.. At first, I thought that everyone signed in but that they chose to be anonymous in their posts.. If this is the case, I must be a dummy because I haven't been able to find that option lol

[Anonymous]

I think it also helps to keep your identity anonymous so that you're free to post about anything without a neighbor or co-worker or something identifying you. For instance, today I've posted about GI issues, my co-worker's poor work habits, first foods, etc. If I had a screen name, a friend reading those would likely be able to identify me and then she'd know it was me on every other post, including if I posted something like "I can't stand my friend's kid." But taken individually, none of those posts identify me, so my friend might not even know I post on here. So if she sees something and thinks "I wonder if that's my friend," as long as I keep the post anonymous enough, she wouldn't know for sure. Without an identity, I only need to worry about keeping each post anonymous. With one, I'd have to keep every post anonymous, cumulatively.

I'm very rarely bitchy, but I like being able to post and get honest opinions without someone saying "this is the same mom who posted blah blah blah" and judge me past that one post. I also like that if I want to post about friends or family, I don't have to worry about them identifying me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'm very rarely bitchy, but I like being able to post and get honest opinions without someone saying "this is the same mom who posted blah blah blah" and judge me past that one post. I also like that if I want to post about friends or family, I don't have to worry about them identifying me.

This is why I stay anonymous too, and as an example, I remember that aprilmayjune posted in one of the threads discussing race and it was my impression that she seemed a little insensitive when it comes to racial issues. I will always remember that when I read her posts now.

[Anonymous]

I'm anonymous because of what 18:10 said. Each post is read individually. No one (other than Jeff, I guess) can connect them and piece together who I am. Not that my thoughts/posts are terribly controversial or even unique. I just like the assurance that my identity will remain private.

Word of caution for those who use actual sign-in names: make sure you don't use the same log-in or screen name or nickname for other purposes. Otherwise your various identities/web presences will be connected via Google.

[Anonymous]

I just don't see the incentive. There are too many risks and what is the reward?

[Anonymous]

I remain anonymous because I'm a bitch here and nowhere else. DCUM is my pressure valve release.

[Anonymous]

Too many secret mental defectives around here (including myself).

[Anonymous]

What 18:10 said. And because I've seen DCUM posters get nasty to non-anonymous posters, for no real reason other than that non-anonymous posters develop a known "personality," and I'm not in the mood to deal with that (stuff like, "hey, zumbamama, your post about blah blah annoyed me so much, I'm going to be mean to you in this completely unrelated post. here, have an insult!")

[Anonymous]

I will agree with PPs, especially 18:10, but will add one more ... because almost everyone else is anonymous. If when I started reading DCUM I saw that everyone else had screen names I probably would have too. But now the few that do stand out too much.

[Anonymous]

aprilmayjune, when I saw your first few posts, I was proud of you for jumping into the new board with a screen name. And why shouldn't you - most of us do have screen names and accounts for the other boards we post to. (As required.) I also thought that you must not have known that most of us here post anonymously and wondered how long before you gave up the screen name... that's not a suggestion, that's just a curiousity.

I will say that I sometimes wish my posts showed some other identifying information (past posts), to support my question/argument de jour. I understand many people use DCUM to blow off steam, but when you have a ligitimate concern and want supportive and helpful feedback, I seriously doubt the trolls would eat you alive if they knew your history. (Posters claim to be honest, but sometimes they're just plan rude!)

[Anonymous]

I agree, PP!
I've recently thought about creating a thread saying, 'I am the poster who ____, and wanted ____, and ....' in an effort to string together random posts. I wonder if anyone else would bite.