Nakamura and Turkle Response

Again, I saw why these articles are important right now because they each talk about different aspects about creating identity online. I definately learned about things that I had never heard about and makes me feel distanced from the internet more that I thought. In the beginning, it talked about how there is no need for gender when creating an online identity. I automatically felt that this had two different outcomes. One is good because it allows for people to be someone outside who people think they are, but also can be dangerous because it is extremely easy for people with criminal backgrounds to acts as others online. I've never heard of role playing sites. I knew that people can lie when filling out their descriptions, but I didn't know that there are sites that give people fantasy worlds to live in. As a game, they seem entertaining but these articles made me hesitant and afraid to even look at one of these sites because they seem addicting and almost perverted! The internet is now like its own huge world, where people can "travel" from place to place. I was really surprised to read about men crossdressing online and acting as women, and vice versa. What bothers me is that these people are using the internet as a place for social interaction, where they cant in the real world. What I do like is that the Internet is very free. It has hardly no barriers which can allow people to be any version of themselves, because I feel that society today has eliminated part of our "selves" off. I was confused when they were talking about race. I wasn't sure if they were saying that race does or doesn't matter. I dont think that it is important to know that most internet users are middle-class white males. I do agree that race matters, but why does it matter at all online. I feel like it is just convenient to know in order to figure statistics when writing articles like this.
I also liked the Turkle article. It brought light to the idea that we have many different sides to us, and sometimes we do not have the oppurtunity to be certain sides in the real world. I agree that some people use the internet for erotic and intellectual fantasies. Its amazing that this soon after computers, we are now able to manipulate the computer to do what we want for us. Children especially are very aware of how computers work, which I think is awesome. Basically, what I get from this article is that these virtual masks offer users self-expression. I was kind of disturbed when reading about Stewart and how he lives in his fantasy world. He is a loner, but acts as a completely different person online. I think it is good that he can use these other sides of his personality, but why use them online by fake dating another fake identity online and buying pretend things for them on pretend dates. Why not act this way in real life. What really got me thinking was the man that talked about doing this virtual sex/dating versus having to have ANOTHER affair in real life. First, I hate that men have this NEED it seems to be with other women even if they are perfectly happy with their spouses. I cannot believe that the internet is offering an alternative to men having to cheat. I would hate to be the woman who said shes always paranoid that her husband is doing something when hes on the computer. I never heard of MUD's that seem so real. A line that really stuck out to me said that we are making meaning of our lives by using the screen. Overall, I think I learned a lot and had a lot to say.