Want anonymity? Make a persona not a mystery.

“pick a name that is rare but believable. Cool but not too cool”

Like “Derek Sivers?” 🧐

interesting article, as for me I prefer to focus on solving issues by dicsussing them with people and inventing some new solutions compare to become famous

agree with your being belivable person is extremely important

so for me using my real name without investment of money or time to PR is fine

People have been doing this for years anon. It has only been more recently that more sophisticated social ops have been taking place online. See the comment section of financial youtube, its all shit bots talking to each other.

Basically become Satoshi Nakamoto.

Aight. Here's mine... whaddya think?

www.pdxlocal.net/portland-confidential-part-one-of-several/

To get you started...

www.fakenamegenerator.com/

Being anonymous/faceless in the web is like walking through a city in full camouflage. You stick out.

I had to do this for Twitter. After tweeting once daily for 8 years but never replying I got a lot of pathological intrigue and irritation. Rebranded as a comedy writer pretending to sell a book and everyone stopped caring and left me alone.

Some people call this idea "data pollution".
Also mystery and deflection are not mutually exclusive, from my experience the more they desire to find you, the more willing they will be to believe what they manage to find.
Also I for once do want to be interesting enough to be someones obsession, and I believe in my opsec and I'm not afraid of anyone.

Also I appreciate that this site has comments enabled, for some reason (probably spam) it's a dying trend.

I like your idea. Since I am lazy, I found a few generators that make short work of creating a persona:

- Generate names in various languages:

blog.reedsy.com/character-name-generator/

- Generate a backstory (I included an example):

www.character-generator.org.uk/vh93qxw/maureen-is-curious-semiprofessional-sports-person-who-is-obsessed-with-murder.html

- Generate a face:

thispersondoesnotexist.com/

- The Benedict Cumberbatch Name Generator makes me laugh whenever I use it. Only the syllable count matters:

benedictcumberbatchgenerator.tumblr.com/

Not so fast. Here's my reply on HN: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34647506

vastly underrated strategy ive been using for years. idk if this is part of anyones organizations security protocols but it should be.

people stop looking when they think they have answers, so give them the "answers".

So, I tried out one of your posters suggestions, on a whim... and visited the English Name Generator. It came up with "Piers Meyer" which to a Brit sounds cool I guess... so then I did a search, just to see if there were any collisions in the real world... and guess what? I got this hit www.amazon.co.uk/WHY-FIBROID-HIDDEN-CAUSES-REPRODUCTIVE-ebook/dp/B0B68C88SN

Read the bio, I'll wait.

Yep, he/she is an anonymous author. At least pretty sure the backstory belongs to someone else. They're also quite prolific. ;-)

www.amazon.com.au/PIERS-MEYER/e/B0B4N6RJKQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

I see a lot of safe (unlike females) men using a false name. I don't know whether this is right since it is cultural appropriation of the romantic names of street kids and runaways. For those half-starving people, sometimes romance is all they have.

Incidentally, at the end of a Buffy-the-vampire-slayer episode, a street girl receives Buffy's street name, Ann, and uses it as a power symbol. Later we see Ann as a good youth worker on Angel, showing that people like Ann can mature and get life skills.

I think the African word ubuntu means real people in real community, enjoying reciprocity.

I'm pretty sure I have one guy who's been emailing me for years doing this exact thing.

He pretends to be a huge fan, then he emails repeatedly all day long, then he pretends/complains that my app is broken, and finally he wanders off and I don't hear from him again for months.

He's sent AI generated images of himself (his face looks the same every time, but the environment is different), he has an entire backstory that never quite makes sense, and he claims to be in the Midwest but I went as far as to log the IP addresses contacting my server just to make sure and he was always pinging from Russia.

Is he doing this to you too? Is it a group of people? This demands an investigation.

Regardless I still just keep answering my email even if I say like "ok." and "hi." and "yah Bogbook seems to be working fine for me, except for the known bugs I haven't fixed yet." and I don't waste too much time replying to the guy.

WGASA. Just commenting for... yeah, anonymity

how do you deal with video chat requests/interviews?

Ideas, thoughts have power...do this persona making too much and you will become the diversion.
So which will then be the real you?

Are mysteries unsettling?
Why?
Do you truly know anything at all completely?
At what point of 'knowing' do you relax from this unsettledness?

An interesting idea, grounded in 'what is real?'
A endless debate that...thank you for the question.

@Will: At this point even Wikipedia editors are suspect because most of the publicly available information seems to stem from this website[0] (I guess they don’t listen to/read interviews). If you’re correct though he must have come up with it a looong time ago. The first mention of that name I could dig up in half an hour[1] is from the year 2000, which is only two years after the founding of CD Baby ;)

[0] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Derek_Sivers
[1] web.archive.org/web/20000612105153/http://www.musicthoughts.com/
Actually you can go back to my high school yearbooks here: www.classmates.com/people/Derek-Sivers/4000165947172 ☺ — Derek

Agreed, I've been doing this on social media for a while now, and the added benefit is that it pollutes the data space that organisations like FB rely on. It faces up to the unfortunate fact that true anonymity is way more difficult that people expect.

So, don't be anonymous, be uninteresting.

What are your thoughts on using a pen name?
Is that a similar example?
Thanks for your heterodox takes on things!

Rick
Yes, this is basically a pen name. — Derek

What if you're too old to be anyone anybody wants to hear?

That's not being anonymous, that's lying. The point of anonymity in social media is to discuss ideas stripped of preconceptions or result biases.

So is Derek Sivers a persona?!

"Now you can create anything online freely, and nobody will doubt your identity"

Except an Instagram account, which requires a drivers license scan.

A place where everyone is anonymous is better instead of building personas. Enforced anonymity. Any post that has an identifiable information is be banned/blocked/deleted. Every topic only stays up for a while before it is gone into the void. Wait...that's not 4chan is it?

It's a great idea to make personas for performances/PRs. Like a mask for the work, that can be set aside when we tire of it.

Once upon a time, there was a person named Alex, who lived in a small town surrounded by green fields and rolling hills. Alex was an enigma, even to those who knew him well. He had a kind heart, a curious mind, and a thirst for adventure that always seemed to take him down unexpected paths.

Alex was born into a family of humble means, but he never let that hold him back. As a child, he was always asking questions and exploring the world around him, eager to learn and discover as much as he could. Despite being told that his dreams were impossible, he never lost faith in himself and continued to work hard every day to make them a reality.

As he grew older, Alex's interests took him in many different directions. He became a master of many different trades, from photography to programming, and he never hesitated to share his knowledge and skills with others. His kindness and generosity made him popular with everyone he met, and he soon became known as a trusted friend and mentor to many.

Despite all of his successes, Alex remained humble and down-to-earth. He was always more interested in the journey than the destination, and he never stopped asking questions and seeking new experiences. Whether he was traveling to far-off lands or simply enjoying a quiet moment in nature, Alex was always happiest when he was exploring and learning.

One day, Alex received an invitation from a mysterious organization to embark on a journey like no other. They offered him the chance to unlock the secrets of the universe and discover his true purpose in life. Without hesitation, Alex accepted the challenge and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.

As he journeyed through strange and unknown territories, Alex encountered many obstacles and challenges, but he never lost his sense of wonder and determination. He learned so much about himself and the world around him, and he discovered that the key to unlocking his true potential was within himself all along.

In the end, Alex emerged from his journey as a new man, with a deeper understanding of the world and a greater appreciation for the mysteries of life. He was grateful for the journey he had been on and was eager to share his knowledge and experience with others. From that day forward, Alex lived a life filled with adventure, discovery, and purpose, always striving to learn, grow, and make a positive impact on the world.

And that is the story of who Alex is.

If you want true anonymity stand on the street with instrument and busk. Rather than becoming a centre of attention, Most people will carefully avoid you, it’s very liberating to be making a song n maybe a dance and be left in peace. Of course there’s a minority that do approach but it’s Ok, they just smile and give you money!

I will not communicate with someone who will not say who they are!!!
There are too many Psychos in this World.

Or I can just be myself and most people still won't know who I am.

I like this one Derek. It’s hard being as anonymous as possible probably because of you described - refraining from sharing information instead of just giving a fake one. Which might make me feel guilty for lying to someone but in reality if they don’t know then there is minimal impact on them. Once again I’m reminded that nobody cares!

I loved this!

“Hide in plain site”?

Enjoyed this post a lot… learned a few new things.

Sweet protip Derek! This was just in time as a project of mine requires anonymity. Coincidence? I think not! :p

Interesting approach but at the moment the first thing I thought of was George Santos.

I really like this idea. Makes it easier to get out there without worrying about getting hurt. I will try this and see what happens.

Sometimes the best way of knowing who you are is knowing who you are not. I am not a numbers guy, video guy, nor online guy. However, I will heed this advice if I turn towards a ‘sovereign individual’ path.

Immaculate!

I love it as much as my name” Will Shipp. Most people believe this is a name I made up. I was at the Tesler dealer the other night trying to buy a Tesler to transport the foster youths I am helping with their independence and the person helping me asked for my government name. Too funny.. I was not able to afford the suv for these kids but the salesperson thought I did not want to use my real name and that’s the reason I was not getting the car. Shipps Transitional Housing inc 😇

Love a mystery! Thanks for shaking up my weekend

This inspires me to experiment being another person. This could unlock the latent creativity limited by my identity, history and self-beliefs. Being another persona could just free me to whomever. I can build “me” from the ground up.

I always love your posts. This one is weird. I think, to be anonymous just spend time in a new place. Don't create a fake profile. Maybe you are just joking.

Most of us wear a mask anyway. We hide the 'real you' and punt the 'ego' character because that's how we want others to see us. Sadly, it's seldom how others actually see us though...

Its too good Derek. It help to start moon lighting cold emailing and so on. Thanks for sharing

I have no interest in creating a mystery or a persona. I will just be me. I strive to get back to the me before all the online issues started, and made discernment on said platform far harder.
Tell me, what happened to the good old days when someone said - "Hey, I like you and would enjoy talking/meeting with you. Would you like to meet up?" A reasonable thing to do.
Instead, perhaps that is too scary (??) so it's all done in a stealth fashion with smoke signals to that cyber distressed person. Why amass a ball of frustration within oneself trying to find out stuff about a person and then blame that person for one's self-generated ball of frustration? Actually, I would say it's more like rage directed in my direction. Hacked websites, email, phone. It would create a good deal of stress for anyone!
If someone really wants to know about someone else - they could just try asking the person directly, and thereby save a ton of frustration, money, and life force.
Here's to solving mysteries and staying completely, unapologetically, and ever-so-beautifully, oneself.... ever evolving, connecting, loving, and growing!

I recognize the ideas from “Become famous”, chapter 12 of How to live

"...if you want to be both anonymous and famous, pick a name that is rare but believable. Cool but not too cool." Then Derek Sivers sounds like that type of a name.

I realized that some of the most difficult things in life are to think simply and be an ordinary person.

I do not like any lies and mystery. For me it is important to take responsibilities for my actions and identity. There is so much fake in the world. I like it real, personal and accountable. Therese

Really brilliant advice. Thank you, Derek, for this template. I intend to use it.

This just blew my mind. I’ve considered releasing music under a pseudonym but never going all out like this, creating an entire identity and even an AI avatar. Wow.

OR how about if you really want to be anonymous, don't use any social media. It will also free up more time in your life for your family and friends.

I agree with comment 53 Anthony (2023-02-10). I don't use social media. I don't need a public profile for my work or my social life. I just don't get why anyone wants power, fame and fortune whether under their real name or a false identity. I asked why anyone would want a flash car. They said to reflect their personality. I said OK, I'll settle for for my car (grey, reliable, anonymous).

Well, what you describe is a fabrication and, as such, false information. (I thought about calling it a lie, but I think that would require malicious intent.)

I think you have to qualify what to use this for. Pen names for authors are well-established and accepted. If someone e.g. wants to have a personal blog as Derek Sivers and then a separate blog about their pet hobby (raising guinea pigs) under the name Charlie Rivers, there is nothing wrong with it, AI-generated image and invented back story included.


However, the area where this is accepted is fairly narrow (authorship; investigative journalism). If, as a regular person, you want to use a persona, I would expect this to be noted somewhere in a footnote. "Charlie Rivers is a fictional persona owned by CR Publishing LLC." And CR Publishing is a company that is anonymously and legally owned by Derek Sivers. Totally fine.

Because why not? Look at Anna Delvey and George Santos to name two examples that come to mind. Philanthropy and politics are two areas where working with a "persona" does not go over well. (Are George Santos' stories just a persona? What is the difference?)

All that said: While I point out the pitfalls, I do agree with you that this can be a useful and respectable approach, but do it right, for the right reasons, in a setting where this is accepted practice or declared by you in a footnote.

Be sensitive, though. For example, a name generator just came up with Dale Wheeler for me. I googled it and discovered it was the name of a murdered man. Try to pick something unique that won't potentially re-open wounds.

Well said!!!
Wonderful irony and something that I truly never thought about before. We all tend to fill in the blanks if we don't know something so just give people what they want and get it out of the way.

Unfortunately, that's just what the 'bots do. Personas like that can easily be used for nefarious purposes.

Here's a similar idea: I am a therapist, and for professional reasons it's wise for me to avoid non-professional contact with my clients. So my social media presence uses a "stage name" or some variation of my name (such as initials). Meanwhile I've set up a second online persona under my REAL name, and for that persona I primarily post mental health and self-help content. This serves as a decoy persona, so when clients try to search me out (and they do), they find the decoy. Meanwhile, my actual persona remains elusive, available to people who have a need to know.

The only safe kind of fame is posthumous fame.

Kind regards,
David

Authenticity is so strongly held in my DNA, one of my highest values, that this sounds crazy to me. Interesting to think that others would want to do this. I feel there are so many more ways to create intrigue and mystery than something superficial as an anonymous name. Wise sages create mystery in everything they say. I'd rather be that person, than not feel comfortable enough to share my true name and identity.

I love your writings and I think this can be useful. But I don´t get it... why invest energy in a mask? or in a mistery? It is what it is... Hugs, Caro

Especially valuable observation today, as the online profile becomes our identifier. Until tokens and Blockchain provide identity for each of us.

Wow Derek. Very insightful.Would Save me a lot of hassles now. Maybe this was the tactic Satoshi Nakamoto of Bitcoin fame used

JK Rowlings tried it once but her art outed her.

Alice through the looking glass. Catch me if you can.

Fabulous fun for creative folks! Love it!

Or a name with the .music available...(coming this year!) Or Personae, as Richard Hell recently mentioned to me was the other less known plural.

I often change my accent when I leave my hometown. I have actually thought about being a fictitious persona. I got some of the inspiration from doing that in the past a little bit. But also, there is a fictional author/persona Hanzi Freinacht. of the Metamodern movement there actually is a human that acts his role. Anyway, that did inspire me. I have debated between writing a blog and having a YouTube channel as a fictional character or if I should use my actual identity. I have been stuck in this dilemma for quite a while. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

If you want to know more about me, just ask. I'm kind of in hiding.

From:

1. A guy whose life I saved. He was either having a psychotic episode or he was high on something but after he asked a stranger whether he should go into a train or go under it, and after he told me he was going to die that day I had him committed. To this day he is furious about it. He was a family friend who I really cared about who has a good heart but is attracted to hanging out with dangerous people. I don't want him knowing what country I'm in.
2. I studied a certain religion for 5 years and then discovered it was planning a genocide. It hasn't happened yet but the group is very powerful and very dangerous and I might have mentioned this to a few people

3. Someone threatened the safety of my child. I protected him but in the process got the guy fired. He is spiritually powerful and a member of the black arts so no way do I want him to know what country I'm in. This is not the religion of the second group I mentioned

So should I create a fake identity for myself? Why? I'm not important and I already have a generic name. As far as I know not a single reader of what I write is the least bit interested in knowing more about this Canadian blue eyed blonde.

So...make un homme de plume? 😜

Intriguing. Might do! Have you done it?

Interesting...I have made it a commitment to share my progress openly on the internet. Lots of people asked me if I don't feel scared sharing my identity so openly. this seems like a good solution to people who see it as a problem.

Perhaps it’s because I just finished watching “Chernobyl“ last night, where “lies upon lies“ led to the worst man-made environmental disaster in history….

Perhaps it’s because AI have made me distrust every image I see and every word coming from the mouths of people I need to trust…

Perhaps it’s because every politician, journalist, general, priest, and entertainer are spinning the truth, and hiding behind clown’s make-up and cloak of deception…

…that I find this post dismaying. There were so precious few that I could count on to be real, and Derek, you were one of those.

I’ll pass on this advice. I prefer Carl G. Jung’s, who said: “The privilege of a lifetime is being who you truly are.“

Love it, great advice! <3

What a cool idea. At first glance, this appears to be a great way to work around all the crazy social media creations like cancel culture. A way to take back some of our freedom.

Great food for thought as always, D.

Please help identify Clutchy Hopkins.

I want to listen to the entire catalogue.

Hello Derek,

I've often wondered if I'd be more successful if I had anonmity in my career as an equestrian. Although I'm very good at my profession I have limiting beliefs that hold me back from striving for more, partly because the horse world seems to have too many critics. I've seen my peers get landbasted by equestrians when they post training videos. Too often critcal judgements are made against the quality trainers, such as myself, by inexperienced riders or other inexperienced "trainer want to be's". My field of work atracts some very unusual people who anthropomorphize their horses. I founded and sold an environmental consulting company. Working with businesses was very easy compared to working with my equestrian clients. I thought leaving the filed I was in and pusuing my passion as a living was a great idea but now I hardly have time for my passion because I'm helping others with theirs.

Perhaps if I had anonmity I'd have the courage to start a YouTube channel with made up name? I'm going to consider it if it doesn't work I can just ride off into the sunset, which really sounds nice. Here's a link to a newspaper piece about me and horseswww.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/northern-ky/2015/11/01/listening-horses-northern-kentucky/74753252/

I enjoy following your life.
Take care,
Greg

I'm sure that there are people who do this; heck, I have had those thoughts at times myself. When I got thought about the "Why?", I realized that for me it is a form of running away from yourself. I realized that I had those ideas because I thought I might be free from Fear if I had a different identity.

Then I thought - "Wouldn't the new identity also be targeted? And isn't that identity also afraid?". Very few people can resist talking about themselves. If someone has contact with the personna you've created and also knows you, I would think that they will eventually figure out your deception. Then the game is over.

Also, when you grow that personna over time, you will probably put more and more of yourself into it, making it easier for someone to figure out who it really is.

Perhaps I am wrong - I often am - but I think it is a lot of work for little long term gain.

I love this so much. I wonder how much it would alter what I say, how boldly I show up and unapologetically myself. Wonder what kind of medicine it could be for me and for others when the shame or pressure of being myself gets in the way. Is there a more authentic self without the title or the knowingness? Let's find out...:)

Who is this, really?
😆😅😂🤣
Hope you've been well, dude!
=;-{>

I knew it! Derek Sivers is a persona!

sounds creepy to me. they (whoever 'they' may be) would focus on trying to find out who you are and not what you're saying. as it is, there is enough hiding behind a curtain.

If you want to create a financially messy trail just share number with immigrants crossing the border and hope they all use it.

Not advisable if you have any assets

Holy sh*t Derek... You've now said 2 things that ultimately have (or I should say this insight will) shift my life in a huge way.

You've said a LOT of things I've gotten a ton of value from, but when I heard you say "Get famous. You aren't doing anyone any favors by hiding"... that ultimately prompted me to start a youtube channel and podcast I had been putting off for years because I didn't want to put myself out there at all.... and I'm really happy to say that my show has (according to what they've told me anyway) significantly improved the lives of a lot of girls... (which is just crazy to me...)

And now, I'm totally over that niche, and I want to start something new... but have had SUCH a difficult time trying to decide do I want to hide behind another brand name? I really don't want to use my real name, that feels very uncomfortable... but you're totally right... making up a persona with a backstory (location, semi-believable name, etc) would be the easiest and probably safest way to go to put information out there that matters to the individual, without really putting yourself out there...

Your idea of an AI-generated image that ages with time is brilliant!

Wow, well, thank you... This solves another long-time issue I've struggled with that you've just super simply answered...

Thank you, thank you, thank you! :)

ты предлогаешь сказать не правду? давай найдём понятия для слова Правда. это факт к торому относится имя и место. значит сказать другое, обмануть. это не работает. почему? потому как даже ии не знает где он находиться....

Since I left the model industry the less I use my image the happier and freer I feel.

This SO reminds me of the great novelists with different pen names.

It's a brilliant idea for someone who wants to express themselves without being judged as a person or maybe in the identity they created for themselves. But they wish they could change it.

Tbh, I never SAW this idea of being anonymous can be a blessing too! I always thought we should be REAL and express ourselves with our own original name and identity...

But that's NOT required. Unless, we never use our anonymous names for harrassments, bullying, hatred, or any kind of lower human qualities...this idea will surely be helpful especially for celebs who can't be seen a different light.

Thank you for this perspective, Derek. It's eye-opening for me tbh!

anonymity AND pseudonymity are both big part of internet culture. want to communicate on your own terms in your own inbox? fine. but don't be surprised somebody on the internet chose not to list out the details of their carefully crafted persona. it's completely normal on the internet not to have a pseudonym that continues to live for a long time. it's OK to respect their distance and you don't need to get this idea that it's rude.

I recently returned from visiting my daughter and her family in a little town outside San Juan Puerto Rico where they moved over a year ago. Never have I been to a city where community is lived out in such a way. No street signs, one way traffic signs are merely suggestions, chickens run down the streets with the cats and stray dogs. Anyone can own a horse while many people don’t own a car.

Everyone greets one another on the street even strangers like me. One my daily walks I was often approached by persons on the street and they all asked me the same question. NOT what my name was but rather , ‘what’s my story’. I absolutely loved that.

On my first day there I had an interesting dialogue with the one ‘homeless’ person there swapping our stories. I tried to give him $5 to which he reached in his jar and offered to give me $3 back saying that he only needed $2 more dollars today

🤭Cheeky🥸 It solves the privacy problem. You didn't say to fake your skills, experiences, talents, mindset, personality,OR learning objectives.

It's a pen-name. A tool to move freely around the webbernet.

Makes it easier to ask uncharacteristic questions. Get new perspectives and perceive the world from different lenses.

Maybe utilizing an AI face presents another marketing component to speak to a specific audience without appearance being a hindrance to the message. Could be good or bad actors in that.

🤔😏🤓

Thanks for the thought snacks. They are delicious.😉

I'd have to say that this is one of the most disturbing columns you've shared. One thing that has degraded social media interactions and in turn the global community is what I call, the invisible man syndrome. With complete anonymity people's baser instincts rise to the surface. They have the ability of insult, injure, defraud and extort with no repercussions or accountability.
I can understand wanting to protect one's privacy and autonomy if extra fame or fortune comes their way, but creating a false identity to navigate the online world isn't a great recipe for a more civil society.

Great post Derek! I don't comment very often but I found this intriguing. I should have done this but instead I plastered my face on the cover of all my albums on CD Baby (King muDDfish). Now everyone knows who I am when they see me but don't care. So I am not anonymous AND not famous. Now I get it, and yes, your theory has legs.

Years ago I was walking down a street in Curacao one night and someone yelled "Hey King muDDfish! I know who you are!" not seeing the person's face I shouted back "Who are you?" and he yelled back "You don't know me, but I know you."

I shouted "If you know me, then what is my name?" I heard him consulting with his friends in Dutch and then yelled back, "We don't know, but you are that guy who sings songs that don't make sense."

I had to correct him. I shouted to the dark figures "No, that's not me. I'm the guy who sings those songs you don't understand yet. You must like 'Tales of the Flying Mermaids'"

They laughed and he yelled. "Yes, that is who you are! Those mermaids are quite rare and special. Some day I will understand those songs you sing!"

To which I had to advise him in a more somber voice, "And once you understand those songs, you will no longer know who I am." and to which they laughed and he informed me as I got closer, "I think I am beginning to understand those songs you sing! So maybe yes, I'm beginning to think I possibly don't know who you are."

"Yes, and likely you and I are rare and special as to never be seen again."

There was a silence as I quietly walked away down the street and turned a corner. I probably should have just quietly walked down the street and turned a corner when he first accosted me to engage in such an exchange. I am certain both of our lives would have turned out quite differently even though I never saw or heard him again.

You are right...he knows who I am and it can be argued he never gave me another thought; yet I often wonder who he and his friends were and why I didn't invite them down to join me for a drink.

I love this - Instead of wondering who you really are, they can focus on what you’re really saying!

Been done. Long time

Using an alias is useful for a good reason. What is not good is when you use the pseudonym to harm someone.

As for using stage names, I came to a point now where I prefer to let my ego and alter ego shake hands with each other. I’m on my way home.

How can I not suspect you ?As you mentioned in the article, your name is rare but believable and we can only see your photo in your insta profile ,there is no evidence of you like real video of you talking and something to believe that you really existed ...

Hah! My name comes preloaded with a pretty hefty persona already. A big part of what I'm doing right now is creating a site at notthatjamesbrown.com to separate from the first association people have when seeing my name.

This is very interesting! Love the idea

I suppose there is a difference between the real world and the wired world.

I remember traveling to my old home town to attend a one-week LGBTQ celebration. I mentioned this to an LGBTQ person, back at home. Still later, I mentioned that I was not part of that group and the person told me she felt "betrayed." A strong word, for a strong emotion.

Similarly, I still remember where I was when I read Paul Fussel's essay, from an infantry viewpoint, "Thank God for the Atom Bomb." I read other sympathetic essays by him. One day I read his book on "Class," under his real name, and I felt such a stabbing disappointment that I used to have his name wrong... although the book was good: Others wrote fan mail to the university that he said he taught at in "Class." He was indeed a professor, but not at that campus.

One year I read his memoir about adjusting to civilian life (not one former officer attending university had been in the infantry, except for him) I learned that Fussell was in fact his real name, and that he felt silly retrieving his fan mail from the other university where he did not teach.

Now "Class" has been reprinted under his real name, Paul Fussell. I feel relieved about that.

As for me, even when my small city sent five or more young radicals off to fight for the Caliphate, and the campus bookstore was too scared to stock Rushdie's book, I would not stop writing anti-Islamic-terror pieces on my blog under my own name. I would rather live in danger than live under a blanket.

After recently discovering the art/rock band The Resident’s, who have performed incognito for over 50 years, I feel compelled to modify my prior critical comment on this subject. The documentary on this fascinating band, called the Theory of Obscurity, cites other entertainers who have performed in disguise, including Sun Ra, Kiss, and Liberace. I would add to that vaunted list the artists Prince, Charlie Chaplin, Buckethead, and any entertainer who has donned a mask or disguise to transform themselves into art. It is, after all, the master skill of the thespian. While it is not my skill, I honor it.

Not really thought about this before, but this actually makes total sense.
Con artist Derek ←_←
"Instead of block and battle, deflect and settle. That’s better anonymity."

Charlotte Fang is a great example of anon and famous

www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/the-j-files/tism/10274784

This is a very entertaining and informative read about the career of the Australian boundary pushing art-comedy band TISM ('This Is Serious Mum'). TISM achieved commercial success whilst using fake personas and wearing masks. Any musician or artist here will appreciate reading.

NB technology is agnostic to use.
Dereks discussion on creating an identity requires an additional parameter. I am disappointed this was not obvious to the author.
Namely;
'Use this tool only in an honourable way. Never, ever use it to cause harm'

If you don't want any attention, just pick a very common name like Mary Kim or Adam Johnson. That's a great insight; actually, I prefer to be invisible. I will try this method.

Hello,

Hehe HEHE HEHE

Thanks for this post !!!
Loved reading this