How Secret Is Your Tv Identity?

[eyecatcher]

Since I joined the TV forum not many moons ago I was inquisitive to whom these other members were.

Identity for the most it seems is the elusivity of it all. How many people actually know who you are.?

For me after a year or so, I think less than a handful of people actually know me, most of those having an agreed blurt out while drunk!....but when you look at the small numbers of members here compared to the 15k or so farangs in the city, the chances of running into another member would be at best 1 a year……
….unless, like me, when you first read TV you assumed the Mad Dog was the centre of TV madness.

So off I went one afternoon last year in search of someone vaguely looking like their avatar, someone sitting with pc, burger and beer and of course the pre requisite “over 60” status.

I was dispappointed; every alternate bar stool was occupied by everything I expected except no pcs in sight, just news papers and heads propped up watching ladies tennis.

Right now I am happy that I can identify, like most people, the Brits from the Americans from the Aussies, the jokers, the personality by passes, the fast foodies and health foodies, those with families, those still in fantasy land; the medical brigade and the immigration experts.

But now, I am not as inquisitive and I don’t mention TV to anyone, and more protective on my identity. If someone knows me, no one will mention it. Having said all that TV for the most is a valuable catalogue of everything you may need to know and this secret club of ours has a wealth of talent, knowledge and advice….and despite the aninimity some members we feel an affinity towards, akin to friendship.

Aninimity means we can hide, we are not accountable and we can rant and be rude and we don’t need to check our facts before posting….is this why I wouldn’t go to the TV party last November? Because I (we) are ashamed or embarrassed at most of my posts. Perhaps.

Is your identity common place or do you prefer to notch up another secret year.?

[elektrified]

"...Right now I am happy that I can identify, like most people, the Brits from the Americans from the Aussies, the jokers, the personality by passes, the fast foodies and health foodies, those with families, those still in fantasy land; the medical brigade and the immigration experts..."

[worgeordie]

How many people actually know who you are ? none I hope.

Regards Worgeordie

[mamborobert]

AFAIK nobody.

But for what it's worth.

"I am SPARTACUS"

[transam]

I am 'me' and want to stay that way. Met many farangs over the years and never talked about Tv, glad I didn't cos most have their own agenda which is light years away from mine.

BUT, there are those here where we talk privately of whom perhaps will talk over a beer sometime. Mig16 is on my list but don't tell Mrs.Trans eh.

[Dean1953]

I've never tried to disguise my identity I use my first name and use my last name in my email address, so it may take a dedicated IThotshot all of 15 seconds to find my full name and address.

[Chittychangchang]

I know about a dozen members well in life outside TV and about another 20-25 by name on here.
I find TV a great social networking tool.

[FolkGuitar]

While there are one or two certifiable nut cases out there who would be happy to try to make life hell for someone they didn't like, if I say something, or take a public position about a subject, I won't say anything here that I wouldn't say face to face with some one.

[Payboy]

Mine's so secret, no here one knows I'm actually Hansum Man.

Edit: Ooops!

Edited May 18, 2013 by Payboy

[naboo]

I know the OP, he came out when drunk as did I though I have forgotten his name, and one other person (username forgotten but I remember when he posts). Then sponsors. I knew White Russian, but he changed his username/stopped posting a few years back.

A few people know who I am, though I would rather they didn't. Its online, another universe, a certain amount of ability to say what you like without reprucussion.

[ThaiPauly]

I'm easy to spot...I look like my avatar .....and the smiley

[bobl]

Interesting. 2nd thread on the same subject in as many weeks. How come everyone is suddenly so interested in whether they're anonymous or not?

I also noticed something yesterday... Whenever the subject of tv comes up on a fb group (as in, groups for some common interest in Thailand such as used motorcycle sales etc) many of the members respond "Oh, I hate tv"... As many as tv members who hate fb...

Personally I couldn't give a toss who knows me...

[FredLee]

I have been asked twice what my user name is. Both times it was related to receiving a discount at restaurants after I informed them I had heard of them through TV. I answered honestly both times. I also got a discount at another restaurant after mentioning I heard positive reviews on TV about his place, but in that case he didn't ask for my user name. I have never tried to determine what anyone else's user name is. It is more fun to use my imagination to guess what the member is like, based on their posts.

[Thakkar]

They say that on The Internet no one knows if you're a dog. That's not true. Most forum members seem like ok people and I've found many to be very helpful, but I suspect that some members are actual dogs; you can tell because they're constantly pissing on everything.

I suspect one reason for members wanting to be anonymous is that TV is seen (inexplicably to me) as a guilty pleasure people don't want to admit to visiting.

T

[Ulysses G.]

My identity is no secret and many of the TVers have introduced themselves to me. I can't remember meeting any that I didn't like, but I was very surprised when it first started happening that some people that I had guessed were teenage boys were really in their 60s.

[junglechef]

I don't try to hide my identity (I have another avatar for when I want to be even more annoying than usual ) as I often offer assistance that is necessary to meet in person anyway and feel if one says something they should not be such a wimp as not personally fess up to it. I have been to the last few TV parties and "come out" and my friends know what I go by (hint I'm not over 60). If I like a new restaurant I tell the owners about TV and tell them I'm going to post about their place. Have I ever got chatty and wished I didn't say what I did, sure just like the many times in "real" life to, thanks for you who have forgiven me and continued on until the next time I did it again

[hellodolly]

I know a few posters personally and that is OK. Others I know who they are but they don't know who I am and I never never use that information in a post responding to any thing they post.

But to let every one on here know who I am personally no way. I have already had one PM threaten me in a PM that If I didn't agree with him he would tell some things about me. This is a very prominent poster and I wonder if others have gotten the same threat. There are many posters here who I don't always agree with but i am sure they are fine people.

Has any one any knowledge of semper I don't see him any more?

[whybother]

I know a few posters personally and that is OK. Others I know who they are but they don't know who I am and I never never use that information in a post responding to any thing they post.

But to let every one on here know who I am personally no way. I have already had one PM threaten me in a PM that If I didn't agree with him he would tell some things about me. This is a very prominent poster and I wonder if others have gotten the same threat. There are many posters here who I don't always agree with but i am sure they are fine people.

Has any one any knowledge of semper I don't see him any more?

Banned.

[ARISTIDE]

A few people know who I am on TV but it doesn't matter as long as I don't see them in the gym every morning!

[onthedarkside]

Flame post removed ....

[candypants]

I know a few posters personally and that is OK. Others I know who they are but they don't know who I am and I never never use that information in a post responding to any thing they post.

But to let every one on here know who I am personally no way. I have already had one PM threaten me in a PM that If I didn't agree with him he would tell some things about me. This is a very prominent poster and I wonder if others have gotten the same threat. There are many posters here who I don't always agree with but i am sure they are fine people.

Has any one any knowledge of semper I don't see him any more?

Banned.

shouldnt be hard to spot, look for a poster with less than 110 posts that total less than 330 words and you will have your man.

given the amount of time he spent grassing up other resurrected posters, one would hope he is exercising caution whomever he may be

[yoslim]

Sometimes I don't even know myself who I'm

[Naam]

Identity for the most it seems is the elusivity of it all. How many people actually know who you are?

not sure whether my count is correct but over the years i had 29 TV-members as guests in my home, most of them also knowing my real name.

[Payboy]

Identity for the most it seems is the elusivity of it all. How many people actually know who you are?

not sure whether my count is correct but over the years i had 29 TV-members as guests in my home, most of them also knowing my real name.

Congrats, considering all the multiple IDs, you've hosted 99.99% of the TV membership!

[SteeleJoe]

Identity for the most it seems is the elusivity of it all. How many people actually know who you are?

not sure whether my count is correct but over the years i had 29 TV-members as guests in my home, most of them also knowing my real name.

In other forums I was a part of and in this one, I am almost always reluctant to meet with fellow members, I never attend forum gatherings, and I prefer to keep my real life quite separate from Internet relationships....

But for some reason that is not clear to me, it strikes me as rather nice that you've had all those forum people as your guest. (Not something I will ever emulate though!)

Edited May 18, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[trainman34014]

I well recall the first time I announced to three blokes that I was a member. They all looked at each other then looked at me and started laughing. They then explained that they think everyone on here is a nutter, so I replied 'well, i am in good company then' ! Since then I don't bother telling anyone unless they happen to tell me first, which is rare...three so far.

[TexasRanger]

I know a few posters personally and that is OK. Others I know who they are but they don't know who I am and I never never use that information in a post responding to any thing they post.

 

But to let every one on here know who I am personally no way. I have already had one PM threaten me in a PM that If I didn't agree with him he would tell some things about me. This is a very prominent poster and I wonder if others have gotten the same threat. There are many posters here who I don't always agree with but i am sure they are fine people.

 

Has any one any knowledge of semper I don't see him any more?

 

Banned.

I wondered about that, I liked Semper.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I wonder if this hidden identity thing is Thailand-specific.

Or maybe even from a past era, as on more modern online communities (Twitter, Facebook) people tend to be themselves.

[uptheos]

I wonder if this hidden identity thing is Thailand-specific.

Or maybe even from a past era, as on more modern online communities (Twitter, Facebook) people tend to be themselves.

I'm sure you have read/heard about some of the things that have happened to people because of FB & TW?

[Johpa]

I wonder if this hidden identity thing is Thailand-specific.

Or maybe even from a past era, as on more modern online communities (Twitter, Facebook) people tend to be themselves.

There was a time when TV, and the much earlier unmoderated SCT Usenet group, were more about politics and culture and less about ex-pat lifestyles. And there were more Thai contributors. Long ago on SCT I once made a political comment that resulted in my being sent via e-mail a lengthy government position paper arguing against my position. Now that scared me offline for a month. At least one of the early SCT contributors has risen rather high into the Thai government. In a country that remains endemically corrupt, I would not want to have a high ranking official holding a grudge against me given the rather asymmetric power imbalance between the two of us. So I cherish, perhaps out of nostalgia, the anonymity even though now most of the content of TV is bland and innocuous.