A-non-y-mous
-adj
-of unknown name, whose name is withheld.

-Keyboards tapping, mouse clicking, hands scrolling, this is the routine activity of hundreds of thousands of Nigerians and friend of Nigeria all over the world who use their anonymous identity to create content for Africa's most visited website.

Nairaland has grown from just being a little forum of yesterday, to a place that gives voices to more than a million people. With more that 2million threads and 10milion comments created, it's become a place to be heard, to stand out, to discuss passions and ideas, a place where they can share their hurts, feelings, fears and plans for the future. Where through hard work , dedication and intelligence a few users have built influence, a following and have over time become online celebrities.

Having joined Nairaland not long ago. Just like you, I wanted to be heard. The first thing I had to do was to create an identity. And the first question that rattled through my mind was.

Who do I want to be?

Naira-land has proven once again that to be anonymous is a beautiful thing. Via this feature, it's given millions of people the opportunity to live again, to take up a new life and a different identity on the web.


With this new found identity voices are amplified, inhibitions broken and the beauty and ugliness of our different personalities unleashed. The ugly can become beautiful, the poor can rub shoulders with the rich, the young with the old, celebrities and politicians can interact freely with their fans, The shy can for once be studs, the fat-sexy, and good boys can be bad boys, all these with an identity that can't be traced to them.

They say with great power comes great responsibility.
The power for you to be who you want to be, say what you want to say, no matter how indecent, controversial, abusive or absurd it is, Comes with a responsibility.

And what is this responsibility you might ask?

Before you type that reply, create that thread, quote a comment. REMEMBER, that behind these moniker's are great personalities, people like you, people with a dreams,feelings and a soul. Remember that under this anonymous identities you'll find a father that works long hours to provide the best for his family, A lovely mother who want the best for her kids, a lonely woman who all she wants is to meet the man of her dreams, You'll find a young man hustling to make ends meet, A celebrity battling with drugs and health issues who all he/she wants is to make his/her fans happy , a youth battling with peer pressure trying to discover his/her place in this world.

You'll find people of different ages, ideologies , idiosyncrasies, back-ground, personalities, belief system and way of life. You'll find tribalist, trolls,religious fanatics, bullies and people with difficult personality.

It's up-to to you to take it as a responsibility to treat people nicely and with respect, even if they have different ideas and opinions from yours and most times even if they don't deserve it. No matter how offensive or mundane they are, debate and not debase, fight ideas not people, instruct not insult, let you posts and thread build and enlighten not tear someone them down.

Been anonymous is indeed a beautiful thing, but been real and in touch with your true self and emotions while being anonymous is more rewarding.

Thanks
#Matthew Briggs.

Matthew briggs:
#Matthew Briggs.

Guess u aren't so anounimous anymore....... That's just by the way.

I so understand your point and like your write up. It gives a sence of security. Kind of like when you put on dark googles and admire all the babes u always wanted to size up without them knowing you are checking them out.
Nice one mattew

cool

nice

anonymity is a myth.

hackers know you even if you feel nobody online does [the latter is an extremely erroneous assumption].

Nice one Matthew Briggs.

tpia@:
anonymity is a myth.

hackers know you even if you feel nobody online does [the latter is an extremely erroneous assumption].

quite true tpia. But atleast one's still remains anononymous to the majority of normal internet users. And also Annonymity is not a myth as u put it, it's a fact. Because One can be anynoumouy to Mr A and not annoymous to Mr B. But that does change the fact that he's anonymous to a certain group of persons.

.

tpia@:
anonymity is a myth.

hackers know you even if you feel nobody online does [the latter is an extremely erroneous assumption].

Scammer! You have been exposed