Known By Words, Not By Face.

Anonymous.....

That word alone already sounds heavy in this our age and time, see, where almost everything is online, sometimes I really ask myself, is it truly possible to be invisible in this time and age? Can someone really hide behind their keyboard and still live a full digital life without anyone knowing who they really are? Hmmm.... the honest answer for me is yes… but then it is not easy.

To be anonymous takes a lot, it takes strong will, discipline, and constant consciousness, I have a few online friends who would like to remain like this because they want to be like this, and truly it is their choice, nobody forced them to be like that, they just decided that their personal life is something they do not want to put out there.

So yes, there is this friend I know, and I asked him why he chooses to remain anonymous, even though I had begged him on many times for a physical meet, I mean, we talk almost every day, we gist, we laugh, we share ideas, and sometimes it even feels like I know him well, So in my head I am like, what is the big deal about meeting in person?

Then he gave his reason, though it did not really make sense to me at first, but somehow I just understood, He said that he enjoys having a space where people only know him for his mind, his words, and his thoughts, not by his face, not his background, not his status, not where he comes from, he likes being judged only by what he chooses to share.

And when he said that, it made me pause,because if you really think about it, once people know your face, your location, your family, your lifestyle, a lot of assumptions come with it, people start forming their opinions even before you speak, some will like you, some will not, some will already put you in a box, but when you are anonymous, you kind of control the narrative.

So this kind of people now, it is only their family, close friends, school mates that knows them really and knows what they really look like, but we that are virtual acquaintance will only continue to know them online even though they are very active, they can be posting, commenting, creating content, engaging every day, yet you still don’t know who they are in real life.

So it’s like that.

But then, the big question is, are they truly invisible? Hmm.... I don’t think anyone is 100% invisible online anymore, because the internet keeps records, platforms collect data, even when you don’t show your face, something about you exists somewhere, but I think what people mean by being anonymous now is not complete invisibility, but controlled visibility.

You decide what people get to see.

You decide what people get to know.

You decide how far they can go.

And honestly, that is powerful.

At the same time, I feel being anonymous can be lonely sometimes. Because imagine having deep conversations with people, sharing parts of your life, supporting each other, yet knowing there is a wall that may never come down, no pictures, No physical hangout, no let us meet and talk, everything stays behind the screen.

Some people are okay with that, some people actually prefer it that way, me personally, I don’t think I can fully live like that, i like putting faces to names, i like knowing who i am talking to, i like the idea of online friendships becoming real life friendships one day, so even though i respect people who choose to stay anonymous, i know it is not really for me.

But I understand why others choose it, some people are trying protect their peace, some are protecting their families, some have past experiences they don’t want repeating itself, and some just enjoy privacy, and all of these things are valid.

So is it possible to be online and also be digitally anonymous at the same time? Yes, to an extent you can be.

Truth is that , you may not be completely invisible, but you can definitely be unknown, and in a world where oversharing has become normal, choosing to keep parts of yourself private is not a bad thing at all in anyway.

See, at the end of the day, everyone should be allowed to show up online in the way that they feel is safest and most comfortable for them, whether that means being loud and visible, or quiet and anonymous.

Both are okay and yes also are valid, and honestly, that is just how I see it.

This is my response to the Hive Learners Prompt, Week203, Edition3

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