Monday, April 21, 2008

What's My Name?

Prof. Myers has an interesting post over at Pharyngula, with a great discussion in the comments.

I'll just say that I've been DiscordianStooge since 1997, when I read "Illuminatus!" and got an e-mail address. I posted under my real name for a while in college, but now people online wouldn't know my real name if I told them; they know me as DiscordianStooge (with or without a space, although without is proper), or sometimes DiscoStoo. (I've been called stool by swiftee, but sometimes I'm not sure if he means me or is responding to The Cucking Stool) That last aside is another example. I didn't know Spotty's real name until months after I met him in person.

I have created an online persona in DS. One that is quite similar to my real-life self, except funnier and better looking. Now I have professional concerns, but DiscordianStooge would exist whether or not that were the case.

Another intersting discussion running over here, but only if you know about the text-based computer games of the 80's and/or "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." The comments became an ethical discussion about releasing private e-mails, but I was mostly impressed that so many computer programming folk from 20 years ago were available to comment. Once a compter nerd, etc., I guess. I vaguely remember playing "Zork," as a kid. Well, watching others play it, which, if you've seen a text-based game, says a lot about my personality. The white house in a clearing. Grues. The Flathead Mountains. Ahh, good times. I tried to play the HHGG game a couple of years back, and I earned about 5 points. I was never very good at text-based games, I must say.

I watched the movie "Hot Fuzz" tonight. Top-notch, I must say. Simon Pegg is great, and I'm looking forward to seeing "Run, Fatboy, Run." Also, "Doctor Who" started its new season this weekend, much to my pleasant surprise. Between "MI-5," "Torchwood," "Robin Hood" starting next week and "Doctor Who," my TV viewing is nearly all BBC, all the time.

Your Extraneous "U" leader.

4 comments:

MNObserver said...

I'd like to comment on this post, but wouldn't know where to begin.

DiscordianStooge said...

Was that a shot?

Anonymous said...

Stultifying ignorance never impeded you before MkNOb...let'r fly.

Cain said...

A most excellent thread on pseudonymity, I agree. While I cannot claim to have this monikor as long as you with yours (2004 for me) I am "known" by it, my character and disposition etc are available to various people and I have something 'invested' in it, I suppose you could put it. I suspect that is the main point of difference, a psuedonym can have that sort of value, whereas anonymity never does.