A Strange Intersection of Anonymity and Vanity

I've been more and more in tune to the ways that people seem to motivate themselves to do things online.

Lately there has been a trend for people to reveal deeply personal and controversial things about themselves, but without revealing their identities.

When you think it over, it seems silly to make a confession anonymously, and even sillier to do it in a public forum for open discussion.

I think that the base cause of these types of things may lie in a fundamental difference between all of these temporarily anonymous people posting with "throwaway" user profiles, and myself, a steadfastly anonymous person that maintains a stable, anonymous identity.

I'm not vain, and they are.
These people do things that they don't really agree with, and seek confirmation from others without the coloration of acquaintanceship or familiarity.

This was originally published on Bubblews.com at:

http://www.bubblews.com/news/9766612-a-strange-intersection-of-anonymity-and-vanity