The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - The masks of inscrutability, or are you really you?

HerenIstarion · 04-03-2005, 11:43 PM

Would you have known the post #100 is posted by yours truly as well as one preceding it, if you haven't had the evidence of certain post in the Top Reputation Givers thread to back you up in your reasoning?

Or to look at my point from another angle - HerenIstarion and Roggie of Morgoth both being online 'masks' of George Lashkhi, are distinct all the same. George Lashkhi is unable to force HerenIstarion to do tricks or pranks, George Lashkhi is forced in his turn to create alternate Roggies in order to do the business. HerenIstarion has certain amount of independence, there are certain patterns H-I follows GL is already unable to break, there is a certain reputation (not the one expressed in number of green squares) H-I has in GL's mind to live up (or down) to. GL would not have been able to make H-I write in "i agree w u 2" manner (even now GL have typed commas around the sentence) unless in the form of a joke, and GL would have taken some pains to make it distinctly clear H-I is joking writing thus.

Yet both Roggie and H-I are aspects of GL's person, aren't they? Else, would they both be born at all as GL's online accounts?

Yet another angle:

Even the sound (and visual impression) online name makes is of consequence. The mere choice of the name may be forming certain mental impression in the mind of the reader. Per instance, name Aiwendil tells me (even if it is not so indeed) that the real person (whatever the gender, age etc behind it) behind the name:

1. Loves animals
2. Views him/herself as a kind of slacker
3. Values him/hersef all the same as person of great potential
4. Is attracted by the 'magic' of 'old things' - else, why not choose more common Radagast instead?

I may be completely off the track of course, and the name was originally chosen for the sound of it. But even the sound may differ in the ear of the listener, and associations that are roused by the name may be quite different for other listeners

(As a paragon, see Over my dead (gorgeous) body by Nilpaurion Felagund. The thread, at large, has it's source in the choice of the screenname made on 04-01-2003 (supposedly), when he joined the Downs. I.e. - have Louis Ortal not had made 'son of Finrod' choice of his online name, would he occupy himself choosing his imagined location with such a precision and attention to detail now, two years thence? Would discussion of tombs and burials arise at all?

The influence goes both ways

)

***

All things said, can anyone still be 100% sure GL, apart from time online when he is either H-I or Roggie, does not entertain himself sawing people in his basement? (God forbid and save from, of course, that being theoretical supposition. Still more GL has no basement at his disposal. But suppose he would have had?)

***

And a conclusion: the longer one pretends to be some kind of a person, the stronger is the chance of his/her actual becoming that kind of person. George Lashkhi has now more of HerenIstarion about him than he himself could have imagined on September 2000, when the name was chosen almost accidentally.

Are not we all almost like dungeonmasters driving and being driven by one, mostly beloved, paid heed to, but still a character online?

04-03-2005, 11:43 PM	#101
HerenIstarion Deadnight Chanter Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,267	avoiding term 'I' Would you have known the post #100 is posted by yours truly as well as one preceding it, if you haven't had the evidence of certain post in the Top Reputation Givers thread to back you up in your reasoning? Or to look at my point from another angle - HerenIstarion and Roggie of Morgoth both being online 'masks' of George Lashkhi, are distinct all the same. George Lashkhi is unable to force HerenIstarion to do tricks or pranks, George Lashkhi is forced in his turn to create alternate Roggies in order to do the business. HerenIstarion has certain amount of independence, there are certain patterns H-I follows GL is already unable to break, there is a certain reputation (not the one expressed in number of green squares) H-I has in GL's mind to live up (or down) to. GL would not have been able to make H-I write in "i agree w u 2" manner (even now GL have typed commas around the sentence) unless in the form of a joke, and GL would have taken some pains to make it distinctly clear H-I is joking writing thus. Yet both Roggie and H-I are aspects of GL's person, aren't they? Else, would they both be born at all as GL's online accounts? Yet another angle: Even the sound (and visual impression) online name makes is of consequence. The mere choice of the name may be forming certain mental impression in the mind of the reader. Per instance, name Aiwendil tells me (even if it is not so indeed) that the real person (whatever the gender, age etc behind it) behind the name: 1. Loves animals 2. Views him/herself as a kind of slacker 3. Values him/hersef all the same as person of great potential 4. Is attracted by the 'magic' of 'old things' - else, why not choose more common Radagast instead? I may be completely off the track of course, and the name was originally chosen for the sound of it. But even the sound may differ in the ear of the listener, and associations that are roused by the name may be quite different for other listeners (As a paragon, see Over my dead (gorgeous) body by Nilpaurion Felagund. The thread, at large, has it's source in the choice of the screenname made on 04-01-2003 (supposedly), when he joined the Downs. I.e. - have Louis Ortal not had made 'son of Finrod' choice of his online name, would he occupy himself choosing his imagined location with such a precision and attention to detail now, two years thence? Would discussion of tombs and burials arise at all? The influence goes both ways ) * All things said, can anyone still be 100% sure GL, apart from time online when he is either H-I or Roggie, does not entertain himself sawing people in his basement? (God forbid and save from, of course, that being theoretical supposition. Still more GL has no basement at his disposal. But suppose he would have had?) * And a conclusion: the longer one pretends to be some kind of a person, the stronger is the chance of his/her actual becoming that kind of person. George Lashkhi has now more of HerenIstarion about him than he himself could have imagined on September 2000, when the name was chosen almost accidentally. Are not we all almost like dungeonmasters driving and being driven by one, mostly beloved, paid heed to, but still a character online? __________________ Egroeg Ihkhsal - Would you believe in the love at first sight? - Yes I'm certain that it happens all the time! Last edited by HerenIstarion; 04-04-2005 at 01:08 AM.