BOEL-Forums: Why hide behind symbols?

Hello everyone,

This week, I signed up for the Qabbalah and Western Mystery course. So far. it's great; I'd recommend it to every serious searcher for knowledge!

There is one thing that I'm uncomfortable with, though: almost everyone has a picture or symbol as avatar picture. Personally, I feel it would help to create a group spirit if we knew what the others looked like.

Of course, I respect everyones desire to hide his/her identity; I just wanted to share my feelings with you.

If there are no real reasons why you'd hide your identity, I would like to invite you to change your avatar picture into a personal one.

Regards,

Oberon

Re: Why hide behind symbols?

par Andrea Shelor ** R6 QM6³ H4 QN4, samedi 26 mars 2011, 18:51

Hello Oberon,

I see your point.

In a magical context it is often regarded rather unusual to present a picture of oneself as an avatar, though. You did, but most people don't.

As for myself, I am a member of the outer court of the Brotherhood, and of course the members know each others personally anyway. But I understand that for non-members this is not exactly helpful ...
However we do offer public workshops, i.e. workshops that are open to non-members as well, for instance once again Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki willl give her annual workshop in Germany in June and we expect participants from all over Europe (and probably even beyond) to join us for the workshop in June. This would be a nice occasion to meet some of us personally. So you could see the face and the person behind the postings.
(We offer twice a year open workshops in German language as well so we are quite open for non-members to get to know us personally before they apply for membership.)

I will attend the June workshop as well as other open events, of course, as I have done before many times, and other members of our brotherhood will do so, too, but I will not use a picture of myself as an avatar because in my job I meet many people every day and I do not want them to be able to identify me here in the course or open forum.
To compensate, I used my real first name as a nickname ;-) which most people don't.

Interesting subject, indeed...

In Light,
Andrea

Re: Why hide behind symbols?

par Oberon (M), samedi 26 mars 2011, 19:49

Hi Andrea,

Good point about your first name! Of course, Oberon isn't mine, shame on me!

It would be a good idea to attend one of these workshops, if time and finances allow...
And of course I understand and respect your reasons for not showing your photo. I just thought it might add a personal touch to the group spirit, especially in the courses.

Oberon

Re: Why hide behind symbols?

par Jay * (R3), samedi 26 mars 2011, 23:12

Hi Oberon,

following Andrea here's my "why". I have by now met a few people personally who know both my name and what I look like and that is perfectly all right.

Not putting my face or real name on the web, however, is a matter of both privacy and convenience. What's on the web is there to stay (and the BOEL site does have a public forum). Now I do consider my activities here as part of my private life which is nobody's business, except the people I wish to share it with. As in, my decision, not that of Google. It is, I hope, easy to see where a photo or real name on a website would be not all too different from wearing T-shirts with all my interests printed on them, in big letters. To work. I don't do that either. The web site is worse in many ways, because the T-shirt is only visible to people I meet.

For me, at least, the thing is not anonymity from the people in the course. It's privacy from "the world", as in people that know how to use Google, which is potentially a few billion people I don't know.

For the personal touch...it is nice, and I hope we do meet in person some day.

LVX,

Jay

Re: Why hide behind symbols?

par Bumblebee, mardi 16 août 2011, 21:33

I agree with Jay. I work for computer companies many years - and I can confirm that nowdays everything you do online under your real name sooner or later shows up in Google searches with you real name next to it... even when a forum like this one never shares information with the outside world. Evil princes have their own computer gurus as their servants!

Bumblebee.

Re: Why hide behind symbols?

par Tomik (M), mercredi 17 août 2011, 04:57

I know! Privacy is quickly becoming a thing of the past in this computer age.

Re: Why hide behind symbols?

par Andrea Shelor ** R6 QM6³ H4 QN4, dimanche 27 mars 2011, 19:55

Hello Oberon,

> Of course, Oberon isn't mine, shame on me!

no problem ;-) it is quite unusual to use one's real name anyway

I would very much like to meet you on one of the workshops, so prabably we will meet one day, who knows? Could happen! ;-)

In Light,

Andrea

Re: Why hide behind symbols?

par Qatar, dimanche 9 septembre 2012, 09:45

Hello all,

Yep, interesting challenge. Remaining anonymous from Babylon's view is exactly why I chose no pic and a nickname when I registered here. I want to feel safe expressing my questions and thoughts while remaining invisible to other folks who think my business is their business. I think we're just practicing safe web.

I really do like the idea though. It nice to see smiling friends.

In Light,

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