Shy

Hey everyone, like the title says, I am a very shy person. Since becoming an internet junkie I have noticed that this personality trait extends here as well which got me thinking; is it odd that I am equally afraid to expose my true thoughts and feelings over the internet just like in life? When I see an interesting subject on ATS/BTS I will usually start a reply only to change my mind and delete it because I am afraid to be ridiculed.

This has been an issue my entire life (i'm 38) and even though I know that taking chances no matter how small can be good for me, i am still afraid to do it. Deep down inside I know that I have the ability to contribute in a very constructive way yet I still shy away most of the time.

I am an introvert(if you couldn't tell) yet I do have a social life with a girlfriend and some very good friends. I just wish I was more outgoing and not so afraid of what people think of me and my opinions.

That felt good just typing it out. I visit both forums everyday and feel like I know a lot of you so I guess I just kinda wanted to say hi and tell you all a little about myself

Oh...don't care what people think, just post without hitting the delete button and in no time at all you'll be doing it daily

Originally posted by Anjin
When I see an interesting subject on ATS/BTS I will usually start a reply only to change my mind and delete it because I am afraid to be ridiculed.

Trust me, I'm sure you won't be ridiculed here. If you are, the post will be removed as it violates the terms and conditions. You will have to deal with constructive criticism though, which might take some getting used to. Don't be too timid though, active members are really drives ATS and its features/content.

Who knows, you might post something really intelligent that gets a lot of positive attention as well. Take the good with the bad, because without the bad the good wouldn't feel so, for lack of a better word, good.

Hey welcome Anjin, it took a while for me to feel comfortable posting my thoughts as well, but once youve tested the waters a few times you'll find yourself immersed.
BTS is a good place to start, get to know a few like minded individuals, check out their profile page and post in some of their threads that interest you.
Start up your "myProfile" page, its the button at the top of the page, you'll soon have people leaving tags and hookin' you up as a friend or a foe, then you'll have plenty of posting to do.

Look forward to seeing you around.

mojo

Sometimes ridicule is in the eye of the beholder.

I don't know how many times I've been accused of being a bully just for stating my opinion on something.

A lot of what you'll get off the internet is in how you perceive it.

Believe it or not, I used to be really shy too. The internet helped me get over it. Because, after all, who cares what somebody who disagrees with you thinks, especially if you will never meet them?

Forums can be a place to grow a thicker skin. Practice for the outer world.

You don't have control over what anyone else thinks or says, only yourself. So don't let yourself be intimidated by a bunch of pixel people. Your thoughts are just as valid as anyone else's. And I've found that if a series of posts by other people start to upset me, I can just walk away for a few days, stop reading the thread until I've gotten over it, or I can even put particularly obnoxious people on ignore.

In many cases, if someone seems to be ridiculing you, you can U2U them and ask what they meant. Most -- not all members, but most -- will be happy to continue a dialog in private that might just clear up what was all a big misunderstanding.

Mojo's right; BTS is the best place to start for shy people. It took me months before I went on ATS because it's a bit more hard core. I still spend most of my time on BTS with only occasional forays into ATS.

You'll do fine. Just take a deep breath, step back from your own ego a bit, and take it all with a grain of salt.

Not a single person here is better than you. Not a single person here is worse than you. We're all equals in the anonymity of cyberspace, with equally valid opinions.

I have been ridiculed here many times,I have been called a tulip walker, unpatriotic, unAmerican, traitor, and pointless. And at first I was angered and hurt by the comments. Soon I realized that many of the meanest people were hiding behind their keyboards and may in fact be using the anonymity of the www. to create a cyberpersonality and in all likelihood were fat and balding and angry and really had no other place to express their anger.

MM expressed it so well, "not a single person here is better than you. were all equals in the anonymity of cyberspace, with equally valid opinions."

Thanks a lot for the encouragement! There are so many things on these boards that interest me so I am going to give it a shot and start posting and just pretend there isn't a delete button

These are truly the best forums i've seen and I am looking forward to being a lot more involved.

Anjin,... while I don't think my neurosis runs quite as deep as yours, I can relate. In person, I'm about as social as the cornerstone of a cemetary... :shk: It's been that way all my life.... I'm thirty years old.

I sympathize and empathize...

I'm pretty shy too. I have been here quite a while on and off and I still feel uncomfortable posting a lot of times and feel like I come off as a total tool. I don't post on ATS at all because I feel I am not as knowledgable or educated as many of the people that post there.

However I try to post whenever I am moved to and I really am beginning to think that if others want to think I am a total tool then let them. I am who I am, I like who I am and if other people don't like it then they don't have to read what I have to say.

reply to post by Anjin


I'm almost fifty and dealing with part of the same. Simple way that may help is, well, always keep two things up.
One for frustration relief, the other for spinal relief. Anyway. Something like that.

Dallas

I've been shy my entire life (I'm almost 21), and I often find it difficult to post my real thoughts. I'm new to the website under this name but I've been on and off under different user names for the past 3 years due to loss of internet at times and then forgeting my old password etc. This is a really great sight with lots of interesting topics, discussions, and debates. I'm addicted.

[edit on 28-12-2007 by MissInformation]

Dude, speak your mind.
Only way to meet interesting
people is to be heard by them.

Let it all hang out, call 'em as
you see 'em.

That's what I do.

Wait.....n/m...

Not a Role Model,
Lex

So far, the fact that you even made this post, is a good start of discussion etc. As a fellow shy person(have had anxiety disorder since very young) am very aware of how you feel. I also feel it difficult to post certain feelings, but try to do my best. I feel in the end it may be helping irl, but never easy!