I tried! Oh, Lord, how I did try
- Otto (from the simpsons)
The above sentiment captures exactly my attempt at becoming completely transparent on the net, which I did because I was testing out Rushkoff's advice (obviously his idea is his own and the only person that can be blamed for my actions are me).
I tried it for nearly a year, but it caused me anxiety. I admit that it made me prone to being more careful about what I said, but it also crippled my ability to write openly about many things I wished to, or to argue my case when in discussions with people.
I would encourage anyone to try it out; it is in someways an edifying experience, and one that will show that some people are much more agreeable to people who are transparent on the net. But don't be afraid to revert back to a little anonymity if you find it is causing you undue anxiety.
Complete anonymity is not just impossible but also not integral and because of this many of my accounts on the Internet share the same name. But I have other accounts that are there for my personal and private use, which is not a great change from being transparent.
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