For today’s Provocative Question, Fandango asks:
Do you blog anonymously? Why or why not?
I should start by saying, “yes, my name is Mister Bump”, and wouldn’t that be an entertaining post? No, if you hadn’t guessed, I blog anonymously, for specific reasons. I quite frequently trot these out so I should be able to be quick.
First of all, anonymous means name, address, and DoB. Things that would lead somebody to me. I think it’s useful to give out some context, so I have mentioned all of these, but pretty vaguely.
So, reasons for blogging anonymously are:
- to protect my identity. I’m not comfortable with somebody turning up on my doorstep. “That’d be too creepy”, you say? I bet anybody who ever got stalked thought that, too.
- to protect my family. Same thing, only more. Anybody who worked me out could work out who my family were. Creepy? See (1).
- I thought, when I started the blog, that it would put certain subjects off the table. I wouldn’t want my wife reading about my morning exploits with the neighbour, say. As it happens, the neighbour prefers the post lady instead!
Seriously, when I started, I thought there might be personal things I might talk about on the blog, and be uncomfortable with my friends/family finding out. That hasn’t happened. Sadly, I am an open book. I talked about the shit with my daughter once, but that has been said to her face, anyway. No secrets. I self-censor.
- The last thing, not personal, but releasing your identity is like getting a tattoo – once it’s out there, it’s out there for ever. There’s no going back. With anonymity, at least you have the flexibility to change your mind later.
Longer than I’d hoped.