People Divulge If They'd Still Use Social Media If They Had To Share Their Real Identity
Reddit user pretty_monotonous asked: 'Would you still use reddit if it had the anonymity aspect taken away? Why or why not?'
Social media platforms like Reddit allow users to comment on strangers' posts under the convenience of anonymity.
While a majority of the comments people leave can be insightful or encouraging, there are unfortunately many trolls who recklessly leave hurtful comments and do so while being cognizant that there are no real consequences for such bullish behavior.
This led Redditor pretty_monotonous to ask an interesting hypothetical about what would happen if a certain Reddit feature became obsolete.
They asked:
"Would you still use reddit if it had the anonymity aspect taken away? Why or why not?"
Some come to be entertained.
The Wallflower
"I'd lurk and read, but I wouldn't post."
– Not_a_werecat
"Basically how I've been using reddit for years! I have a hard time even making the simplest comments without thinking somehow this sh*ts gonna backfire on me somehow."
– archeryfreak93
Not Alone
"I love this ! I’m currently on a social media detox and I thought I was stupid for still using Reddit but I need some exposure to social media I can’t just completely cut it out, but this made me feel better thanks stranger."
– KylieJennerHusband
Fully Transparent
"Same for me. When I come here I can be fully transparent, and read others stories without making comparisons and going down the rabbit hole that usually leaves me feeling anxious and not good enough."
– crayshesay
It's a hard no.
Mental Health
"Nope. I removed myself from every platform that had that because I was constantly comparing myself to other real people, wishing I had what they had, and it was not healthy for me. Here, I have no clue who any of you are, and it's been an incredibly healthy shift while still allowing some exposure to social media."
– dj92wa
Permission To Be Rude
"No. Not because anonymity gives me the opportunity to be rude to people (I try to be as polite here as in real life), but because anonymity gives me the opportunity to talk about things freely that I wouldn't talk about if my actual name was attached to it."
"I have no desire for family members or employers to search my name and stumble across me sharing an embarrassing story, or having a not-so-mainstream opinion, or fangirling over my favorite tv character or whatever other niche interests I might have. Not to mention the risk of being stalked by people you try to avoid."
– onesmilematters
Giving Up On The Internet
"Hell no, I'd immediately stop using nearly every website I frequent if the anonymity was gone."
– AGlitchedNPC
Unemployment Risk
"One reason amongst the multitude of reasons, is that I don’t want the sh*t I say on the internet interfering with my job. I don’t want to get fired over a controversial opinion or over the language I use, such as simple words like f'k or sh*t. I’d have to overly censor myself, and the point of being anonymous is that I don’t have to do that."
– falaladoo
Security Reasons
"Probably not. I don't want to broadcast my identity for security reasons. I think that is often forgotten about when people go rabid over online anonymity."
"If a criminal/hostile state actor can make connections of when/where/what you post, it opens up a lot of scary possibilities."
– Substantial_Double32
For some, it's just a space for casual interaction.
Difference With Facebook
"This is one of the things that I really enjoy reddit for vs. Facebook. I can have indepth discussions, arguments, and debates with people who have no clue who I am, nor do I know them. I've really limited what I'll comment on Facebook out of the realization that any one I'm friends with could see that."
– ronaldreaganlive
Some Limits
"I might possibly still use it."
"But I won't express myself honestly anymore."
"Anonymity is one of absolutely essential things to assure honest and open debate. When you can be hounded and publicly punished for having an opinion different than that of the majority, you can not have free and fair debate."
– dittybopper_05H
Staying Private
"The same reason I don't post or comment on FB or Insta etc, I don't want people I know to read my opinions on anything. I'm a private person and It's none of their business."
"I like to be argumentative and have various opinions on topics that many people on my 'friends list' wouldn't necessarily appreciate."
"I'm also dead against the 'look at me' type of posting you see on other platforms; e.g. 'okay this time I'm done' without any explanation."
"In closing: I don't want to live my online life under the lense of people I know IRL."
– Rab1227
I would have no problem continuing to use any social media platform to comment on a topic with my authentic take on the subject at hand.
Because why on earth would anyone willfully make the original poster feel bad while they know exactly who is making negative remarks?
Many say, "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it."
Yet, that doesn't seem to stop people who have nothing better to do but elevate themselves by taking total strangers down.
Life's short, people. Let's be kind. It's not that hard.
Many of us have a tendency to obsess over things, whether they're behavioral or tangible. You know the feeling. You just can't stop thinking about them.
But if our fixations get to the point where we are letting them interfere with our lives, are the detriments something to be concerned about or should we trust our ability to control ourselves?
Curious to hear about the things we love so much, it's almost criminal, Redditor mred6453 asked:
"What's not a drug but is so addictive that it could be classified as one?"
Our social engagement is an extension of who we are. And that's a problem.
That Device
"Phones :( i really hate taking a dump without it."
– Apozero
Our Current Activity
"Scrolling reddit posts."
– razeronion
"This is more true than people realize. Scrolling works very similarly in the brain as actual drugs and can cause very real negative side effects such as addiction and feeling more anxiety and depression in general."
"The theory is that if you use too much of anything that causes an instant surge of dopamine the balance in the brain shifts so that what used to cause the 'high' becomes the new normal and the old normal feels like something's missing. All of a sudden it will be impossible to wait five minutes for the train without looking at you phone several times while you slowly start to show signs of depression and anxiety in your life."
– the_monkey_of_lies
The Usual Suspects
"gambling, video games, internet, social media."
– nutcrackr
These aren't drugs, but they sure taste good.
The Treat That Keeps On Giving
"Chips and salsa"
– CrumbledTheCookies
"I eat this every day. I’ve gone to the store just because I’m out of salsa, and then I have to come up with other stuff to buy to justify the trip. It’s crazy."
– emthejedichic
What's Not To Love?
"Chocolate."
– KitKatCrunchie
Soft Drink, Hard To Quit
"Not being flippant, I can not for life, health, or wealth give up Coca-Cola. I've tried for 30 years and withdrawal is not something I can manage to get through. I go back every time."
"EDIT TO ADD: It isn't physical, I don't get headaches or other bodily symptoms. It's psychological withdrawal issues."
– misslilytoyou
This'll Make You Smile
"CHEESE"
– hollywhyareyouhere
"Someone on the Internet once said cheese is heroin but for people with jobs."
– Tthelaundryman
White Powder
"Sugar."
– 94H_Civ_Equiv
"Came here to say this. In the lives of those who abuse sugar, it usually fits a good part of the definition of addiction: 'continued use in the face of harm.' As it says in The Book of The Subgenius, 'If sugar was discovered today, it would be a controlled substance. Sure, cocaine is pretty damn bad for you, but at least it’s not half your kid’s diet!'”
– SantaRosaJazz
Some people tend to engage in these behaviors too often.
Delay, Delay, Delay
"Procrastination."
– Superfruitdrastic
"Wasn’t there a thing called revenge bedtime procrastination? Like you delay your bedtime so you can keep the next day further away?"
– obiwantogooutside
Importance Of We
"Validation."
– Zer0Summoner
"That's exactly what I was going to say! You're smart, and probably also attractive!"
– tarlton
Questionable Payoff
"Academic validation. I made myself miserable for years so I could become valedictorian. For what?"
– Its_Me_again21
"I look back at those years now and realize I missed out on some basic experiences: concerts, school dances (prom), camping trips with friends, pizza/movie/game nights…"
"I will never get them back. Sure, I can host and/or attend them now, but it’s different during those formative years."
– jimbolic
I'm shamelessly addicted to coffee.
The aroma alone puts me in a happy place.
I probably drink too much of it, however, as I've become numb to the effects of caffeine.
Some people drink tea at night, I have two cups of coffee to get me to bed. Maybe that's bad, but if the powers that be ever bans coffee, hold my espresso.
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People Describe The One Thing They'd Remove From The World To Make It A Better Place
We all have ideas of what would make the world a better place.
"If only everyone had unlimited supplies of THIS," you might think. Or, "If only everyone had easy access to THAT," others might suggest.
You could spend hours making up what would make the world better if you could give everyone what they want.
Yet, not often do we think of what would make the world a better place if we got rid of something.
What if, one day, a particular thing was simply gone? Would that make life better?
Reddit user, alpham_11, wanted to know what would make the world a better place if it was gone when they asked:
"If you could remove one thing from the entire world to make it a better place, what would it be?"
Maybe the thing we'd have the power to get rid of is small, minuscule, but its impact would be felt the world over.
Protect My Bum
"those toilet paper dispensers that only let you take out one square that is inevitably torn as a result."
Andmoreagain96
"do you mean paper towels or is this some other monstrosity I have yet to encounter"
Mike2220
"You know when you know. You're one lucky person to have never encountered it."
InfamouslyishFamous
Poor Horses
"Horseflies"
LucifugeRofocaleX
"Frick those things, I thought I’d been stabbed by a needle once when I got bit by a very large horse fly on the back of the neck. Everybody thought I’d just lost my sh-t when I was freaking out and squealing atop my horse. I can only imagine what horses feel all the time"
montananhooman
Are We Ever Going To Be Rid Of It?
"Facebook"
djmonsta
"It occurred to me a while back, eventually somebody would’ve invented it, just named it differently."
Cable3805
"It occurred to me a while back, eventually somebody would’ve invented it, just named it differently."
Slithy-Toves
Perhaps everyone can see its influence spreading already. After all, no one likes to be lied to, but we do it all the time.
Not Everyone Can Be Leslie Knope
"Corrupt politicians"
DieLawnUwU
"You can just call them 'politicians.'"
Star_x_Child
"Wouldn't it be crazy if public servents actually served the public?"
rastashem
Protect Yours And Loved Ones Necks, But Don't Overdo It
"Greed"
chillmagic420
"Was gonna say this. So many of the problems humanity has caused for itself and the Earth are born from greed"
spaloof
"I dunno, definitely has some extreme cases. But I would argue greed has evolutionary roots. It's almost a survival mechanism. It definitely played a part in getting us where we are. But that being said, I think if we could now just remove the idea of greed from current society, would it have a positive impact, is a really interesting question."
Slithy-Toves
We Don't Need To Know Everyone's Thoughts On Every Situation
"24 hour news cycle."
urbexcemetery
"What happened to only reading newspapers after breakfast?"
Very-berryx
"News shouldn't be a profit center in general. If the aim is to make a profit then content will be selected based on audience preferences. Turns out, people like programming that entertains them and confirms their worldview - which makes for pretty sh-t "news"."
silenttd
Opinions Are NOT News
"Infotainment "news" networks. I want a quick, easy, unbiased way to know what's going on in the world. I don't need your damn opinion on the matter."
bradpliers
"I agree, the news has never been the same since they came out with 24hr news channels. It's all about ratings."
"The newscaster's or network's opinion should not be what they call "'news'"
"How are you supposed to be able to come up with your own opinions or stances on whats going on if all you hear is someone else's opinion and bias one way or the other"
nemesis-of-HEman
And then there's situations like these, where a little more of a delicate touch is needed to make sure the world is handled carefully after these things are gone. We want people to be happy, after all.
A Clear Mind
"Mental illness"
Emergency-View-1258
"God maybe even more considering how much of human suffering is caused by people with mental illness who inflict suffering on others"
"Like you just know dictators are sociopaths, and mass shooters would largely be eliminated"
Peppinito
No Place On This Planet For Them
"Child abusers"
Spoonloops
"Children will one day run the world. It’d be amazing to see a generation of people who were all properly loved and cared for in childhood"
LeeannC_137
"I luckily got out of an abusive household but I had many friend in my old hood not get out... it's f-cking tragic to see yourself grow and do well while your childhood friends circle the drain. It's a terrifying reminder of what could have happened to me. I would give my life if it meant no more kids got the childhood I had and worse."
kitkatattacc04
"Bad/abusive/toxic parent and child relationship. There’s too many children who are starving, hurting, alone, confused, belittled, abused, molested, and mentally destroyed at the hands of their parents. I would remove all of that to make sure every child has a chance to grow up in a healthier household and given a better chance to thrive."
kaitlinhathaw
Shouldn't Be Happening
"Addiction"
duckdancerr
"Yeah. This is it's own kind of cancer. And it affects so many more people than just the person with the addiction."
"My brother is an addict and my brother-in-law's brother died a few years ago of liver disease caused by alcoholism. He was in his 40's and died a slow, painful death in a hospice surrounded by people much older than he was."
"That sh-t shouldn't be happening."
AjaxTheWanderer
It's fun to imagine.
It's tough to actually do the work. Maybe it's time to do something tough, today.
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There's a lot of parenting advice out there. Books published every day, blogs updating repeatedly, and Instagram accounts spamming your timeline with the "best tips for new mommies and daddies." It can all be a little overwhelming when all you really want to do is spend time at home with your kid.
That being said, there is a lot of garbage advice out there, and these people felt the need to speak up about it.
Reddit user, qquackie, wanted to know what things parents do nowadays you disagree with then they asked:
"What parenting 'trend' do you strongly disagree with?"
It can be easy to be led astray by the internet. After all, if its on the web seen by thousands upon millions of people, then it must be true.
Right?
Once On The Internet It Stays On The Internet
"Recording everything your kids do and putting that on social media"
Sakuraaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
"What I learned was if you are a foster parent and you live in certain counties you cannot post anything about a child you are fostering on social media. No pictures, videos, and you cannot post their legal name."
Playful-Base-6082
"Absolutely agree. And I can’t believe family vlogging is still seen as acceptable"
qquackie
Those kids will very likely sue their parents in the future. Watch: Data privacy laws will become the wave of the future.
Look At Me! Look At Me! And My Kid, I Guess.
"Abusing the talents of your child just to boost your self image in society"
sweettooth_92
"1000% agree. I feel so bad for so many of the child celebs who are basically just forced to be in the spotlight for fame & money"
qquackie
There's a reason why people frown on stage parents!
But It's Like...Why?
"That thing where they pretend they got their kids a ps5 for example, the kids are freaking out with excitement, but then its just a ps5 box filled with books or something."
MacyTmcterry
Pranking children to the point that they cry just so you can get likes on social media is gross.
Perhaps the hardest part about being a parent is that whole "being a parent" thing. Turns out some people really don't want to step up when it comes to setting the boundaries for their kids.
Finding That Balance
"Not saying no to your child. They have to learn to deal with a no sometimes, and having a chat about why it is no and whether it could be a yes another time is also an important part of them learning to deal with no."
coocoorookoo121
"I’m a high school counselor and it’s very apparent to me that some kids never hear no and that a 14 year old is running the household"
One-Barracuda-2675
Children do need to be told "no" from time to time otherwise parents will create spoiled monsters.
"Omg this. In my friend group, I am the "strict, no fun" parent--because I say no to my kids, and enforce limits. I have plenty of fun with my kids and do say yes a lot, but I think it's important that my kids learn how to deal with being told no! Having limits makes kids feel secure, IMO."
"One of my mom friends literally told me that she doesn't want to say no to her kids because she doesn't think they're emotionally mature enough to understand what no means. I'm like....yes? You need to teach them? And surprise, surprise, one of her kids has real issues with boundaries/limits now that he's older."
puns_within_puns
There's a distinct difference between "fun" and boundaries!
Remind Yourself You're The Parent
"Not setting clear boundaries. You are the adult, not the kid. Children benefit sooo much more from clear rules and consequences."
NorthWeight3580
"Yes like dont get mad at your kid for not doing or doing something because it was "implied""
RandomCraplol
Children actually do want rules and guidance!
Keep Your Kid Away From My Kid
"Pretending that not parenting is parenting."
"'I wont tell my child to stop kicking your leg repeatedly because i don't want to crush his spirit!'"
StoicDonkey
"I took my kids to the park once when they were small, and this older child came up and sat on the slide literally just so my kids couldn’t use it. His mom came up and was like ‘oh hey, he really doesn’t like little kids.’"
"…okay? That’s not some super relatable ‘aren’t children a hoot’ thing. If your kid is being a little AH, step in, it’s not some completely impossible to deal with situation. Why would I want to stand there and make small talk about how your kid is going out of his way to upset all of the smaller children, that isn’t funny."
"Having kids has made me so much less tolerant of people who can’t be bothered to actively parent, not go ‘oh well, kids are impossible’ the way these half-a--ed people seem to expect."
Captain_Quoll
Don't Allow Them To Experience Any Experiences
"The “bulldozer” parent - ie the parent who removes all obstacles/challenges from a child’s life so they don’t learn about perseverance, problem solving, failure (sometimes you can try hard and still not get the reward) and learning from mistakes - unless the goal is to develop a highly anxious person - then, being a bulldozer parent is great."
spinefexmouse
The Teacher Does Not Have It In For Your Kid
"Not believing the teacher ever. “My kid never lies to me”."
"Seriously. Parents absolutely should be their kid’s biggest supporter. But support sometimes means holding the kid responsible when they don’t do the right thing."
jdith123
Do Some Reading
"Fake “Gentle Parenting”"
"You hear and see so many parents letting their children do whatever they want, no matter how destructive, rude or hurtful their behaviours are. Parents find themselves beholden to the whims of their childrens’ emotions in the name of gentle parenting, instead of true gentle parenting where (so I hear) boundaries are set alongside validating emotions."
canadainuk
Just try your best.
So long as you're doing that, that's all your kid can ask for.
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It's hard to know when you're addicted to something.
You might sense there's an addictive quality to the activity or outing, maybe in the back of your mind, like an itch saying, "Hey, you've done this before already."
What really helps reveal the addiction is someone else pointing it out. Once that happens, there's no putting back the pieces of what you think about yourself.
Surprisingly, we're okay with a fair amount of addictions, even when they might be actively harming us as a society.
Reddit user, mjkn01, wanted to know what fixation is perhaps not as healthy as we think it is when they asked:
"What is an addiction that the world is just ok with?"
Maybe it gives you a sense of pride?
Or perhaps it's about seeking out a good feeling for yourself when you've had a rough day.
Whatever the reason, you can't stop.
But I NEED To Know What's Going On?
"24 hour news cycles"
Frosty_Fig3423
"It's bad because it gives the veneer of being informed without actually being informed. You know the broad strokes and the players and who said/did what, but it's all presented in an entertaining way so you keep on watching and you're not actually informed. There are studies done that people that consume their news that way (passively mind you) are less informed on the whole. A lot of buzzwords or phrases that mean something to the audience, but don't actually represent the story. It's caused a lot of problems."
"Politics isn't sports or meaningless. Being informed, and thinking about nuance, or being able to listen to the other side rather than some caricature of it is important in a democracy. And yet we're raising people to hate the otherside, to become further polarized, to treat politics as a game and all the while making sure our voters are less informed on the whole. It's dangerous."
BBQ_HaX0r
*puts down phone* What Did You Say, Dear?
"Phone addictions when it’s parents instead of kids."
toothlessgrins
"Trueee. I’m a new parent and currently trying to fight my addiction to my phone. I never realized how bad it had gotten till recently"
mrsteacher420
"Yeah, this is one none of us want to talk about it. You can kick smoking, booze, sugar, social media, caffeine, but I’ll be damned if any of us will get rid of our phone. It’s the first thing I look at every day and I can’t leave home without it. And really, I don’t need it, but I have to have it."
blisterson
Hard To Let Go Of The Rush You Get When You Swipe
"Shopping"
macaronsforeveryone
"Dealt* with this a few years back, probably because I started getting some fine lines and I thought expensive makeup and new clothes would make me feel better. Yeah it didn't, just added some stress to my life and relationship because of money stuff. Dont fall for this easy trap ladies and gents, I know the pressure is big but it's really okay and quite normal to age.."
Altruistic-Order-661
You don't think too much about the food and drink you consume.
So long as you're happy while eating or having a drink, then it shouldn't be that bad, right?
Unfortunately, there might need to be real discussions had about how much we're all drinking.
If Only You Could See What It Does To Your Brain
"Sugar"
Sad-Illustrator1610
"Dude, I work at a certain large coffee chain and most people who think they are addicted to caffeine are actually addicted to sugar. Unless you are ordering an iced/hot coffee, cold brew or espresso, the amount of coffee in the drinks you are ordering is minuscule."
"Sure, it will offer you a little caffeine but if you are consistently getting a white chocolate mocha everyday and thinking you need your “coffee” fix, it’s not the coffee you’re needing."
MissHannahJ
Something We Should Talk About, But Can Never Talk About
"I think a lot more people are addicted to alcohol than we care to admit"
Babylil22
"I'm an alcoholic and I'm struggling with it because it's so normalized. All of my work buddies just want to go out and drink after work around the weekends. I go visit my girlfriend at work it's at a bar and everybody's drinking. They sell alcohol in like every corner store. It's passed off as a sophisticated hobby. I go 2 months without having a single drink and then I have a pop and can't stop kind of drinking habit so it can get dark pretty fast."
"I'll be fine for the first couple days doing it and then after like day 4 I'm pretty much having an emotional outburst, normally at my girlfriend who comes home to find me f***** up. It is a sad degenerative disease and I wish I didn't have it and I wish I would have learned better communication and coping skills earlier in life."
Velghast
Need Papa's Fix To Keep Going
"Caffiene"
severflux
"My favorite drug before cannabis. I wouldn't be able to function! Went through a serious withdrawal years ago just to cut down my consumption (was drinking an entire espresso pot a day); physical pain was crazy. Tried cutting out my daily latte recently and could not get my work done. It's serious!"
Alternative_Belt_389
"Offered in generally-unlimited quantities at most workplaces. It's somewhat dystopian to realize it's basically 'Hey, in case you get tired working 8+ hours, here's as much free, addictive stimulant as you can handle to perk back up and keep working'."
Fluffy_Munchkin
And then there's these, the worst of the worst in terms of addictive quality, which we might never kick as a society.
Doesn't matter if we know about it.
We need these things in our lives, regardless of how bad they are.
Something About An Epidemic...?
"Ambien, I work as a pharmacist and it blows my mind that SO many prescribers write for it too often. It's got to be one of the most incorrectly prescribed medications out there. To stop taking it is a rough process ☹ Weeks of little to no sleep until your body figures out how to sleep again."
Tyretitan
A Lot More Complicated Than We Care To Admit
"Consumerism. It's good to keep on buying for the economy so they actually promote it."
Light_Shifty_Z
"This is why I think we will never make any real attempts to fix climate change. We essentially need to overhaul our entire economy, the world as we know it, to reduce consumption of energy/oil/plastics."
"Overconsumption has been made commonplace and convenient. We are f-cked"
ECONOMIC_DEMOCRAGUY
Yeah. Yep. Yeah.
"Social media"
mywifiisbadtho
"This might be too recent to have cause real waves but I am pretty sure that in a couple of years you’ll have to accept the consequences every time you log in. A few years later social media sites will all have to have standard khaki packs sites and big bold horrifying message everywhere."
Meanwhile-in-Paris
"I really believe that in a few years, social media log in pages will have warnings like cigarette packs in Canada."
"Warning: the use of these sites has been linked to depression, anxiety, insomnia. Please enter at your risk." Or something to that effect."
thatswhatshesaidxx
Be aware of your own vices.
Accept they're a vice.
It's okay to have them, just don't let them be the defining force of your life.
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