this has bugged me for some time......................... - Page 2

John

You need to consider the fact that even if you use your name, you are still anonymous to a newbie.  Do you know how many Johns are in this world?  Ask the Mayor of Detroit or New York!  These people don't know who John Letcher is.  Hell, I don't know who John Letcher is!  Do you think it would make a difference to a newbie whether Mike Diehl or GSDlover gave them advise?  I don't think it means squat!    

One thing I did notice, is that you are Jletcher18.  I often get you confused with the other 17 and I think I am related to #12.  It is a good thing that you have narrowed down the possibility of being a different John.

When I signed up on here, I didn't even think to put my real name as my handle.  I really hadn't seen too many real names on here and I thought that it was the commmon practice to stay anonymous. 

With that being said, I would take advise from a stranger.  There are plenty of people that give good advise without a name.  Gard, Bob-o, Silbersee, sueincc, yellowrose, powerhaus, eichenluft, q-man, Oskar, Terry, DH, Patiala, Kyle, and many, many more give good advice regularly. There are so many that I can't even think of 10% of them.  If you expected to read your name, I apologize!

"Do you know how many Johns are in this world?  Ask the Mayor of Detroit or New York!"

ROFLMFAO! 

The thing about asking for advice.........

First off, you will get a very broad spectrum of advice, usually contradicting

If you do not follow the advice of those that think they have the best advice, you will get slammed or called stupid, retarded etc

Everyone thinks their advice is the best and only correct advice

Newbies come here and seek advice, often that is their first posting and they do not always read the board first, mores the pity for them.

 It usually does not matter if the handle given is real name or anon when asking for advice because all advisors are unknown to the newbie anyway.

I know who John Letcher is and I wouldn't listen to a damn word he says! 1/4 of the posts under John are his wife anyway LOL. Her I'll listen to.

People will only listen to what they want to hear anyway.  It does not matter is it's posted by a "real name", a "verifiable name" or a "screen name".   

thanks for the input all.  i was just wondering how other people felt about this subject.

don, i think #12 is my 3rd cousin twice removed.  no need to apologize, i  still call myself a newbie compared to some of the names you listed.

4pack, thanks for confusing me,, now i dont know if i am myself or my wife.

john

I try to sign my name, but in most cases, even when writing a regular email.  I end up hitting send before signing.  :)

Kathy

Nice idea for a thread.

Personally, I  like anonymous posting because I think words and the ideas that they represent should float or sink on their own merit and not the catchet of the author. I do not want to know who said what - because I do NOT want my opinion to be influenced by personal reputation.  I want to protect myself from that irrational mine-field.

Ideas, arguments, etc...that are contributed to known indviduals - leads inevitably to agreement or disagreement of said ideas - based upon identificaton with (or against)  that individual. Hence; discussions become "tribal" and "partisan".

Think of it this way;

IF you are inclined to read an argument, with a receptive mind because you know of and respect the speaker - you are unlikely to arrive at the most objective and critically correct opinion on the matter -

-as likewise-

if you distrust a source you are likely to dismiss valid arguments because they're "from the other side".

Kindness to people and animals is praiseworthy.

Ruthless skepticism towards one's own assumptions based on partisan identification -  is even more praiseworthy.