To hate it when people say 'name change obviously...' at the start of a post

[DodoTime]

'NC as this could be a bit outing...'

Why do people say this? Do they actually think people care? Do they think others are following their every word and tracking their MN past. It always sounds so narcissistic to me. If you are changing your name to protect your identity, surely it would be less outing not to tell everyone that's what you've done.

I feel like I lose brain cells whenever I read NC...

I've started my own post on MN perhaps up to 10 times, and always name-change for that. I also comment a lot on other threads.

On any given post I've started, the details are unremarkable. Put them together, and if you knew me, you'd be able to confirm it was me.

I always announce that I've name-changed at the start, because some of the things I've posted here people may think are so outrageous I've made them up for fun; though to be fair even I might think they were made up, if they hadn't happened to me/weren't my life.

Seriously?!

How better to show you have no actual life than to do this? I'm sorry that happened to you @XenoBitch What a sad life that person must lead. I can't understand what they were hoping to gain by it.

I name change every few days, and I’ve re registered an embarrassing amount of times due to forgetting passwords and it just being easier to re reg.

I’ve had quite a few “interesting first post” comments in my time. I’ve been here since 2004.

People used to say "I've name-changed but penis beaker, cutted up ham, sistene chapel..." So you're getting off lightly with 'I've name-changed'.

If people didn't go around like Miss Marple and piece together the back story from 100 threads it wouldn't happen.

However, I rarely name change and just have a policy that I only post stuff I'd be happy for anyone to read over my shoulder as I type it, so I never have to say any of that.

This is what I don't understand.

If someone is being deliberately inflammatory, then why does it matter if they're a regular poster or not? Ignore their post and move on. I don't understand why people choose to waste their time "verifying" an unknown poster on an unknown website. Reply, or don't reply.

I have about 6 user names on the go. I switch between them. I started a thread and the first few posts were telling me I was a journalist.

A) if you think that, why bother wasting your time typing it out, as it's not going to change anything.

B) I ignored their posts and replied to the people who answered my question. When I began responding to those who were actually being helpful, the first few posters came back and started engaging, pretending nothing had ever happened 🤦

Ignoring the trolls is a far better response than trying to call them out as one. And much more time saving.

@Globules over the years there have been people with highly distressing circumstances and MNers have rallied, often giving their own experiences and sometimes, time in RL. Sadly, a proportion of those people have turned out to be trolls, copying and pasting pictures from the internet and representing them as their sick baby, etc., so the MN community became a bit more guarded and tend to want to check that they aren't feeding a troll.

I know some of the threads that you refer to @Lougle as i've been around for while too.

I find it's better to be guarded by choosing to not engage rather than by trying to investigate an anonymous poster on an anonymous website. Surely people have got better things to do with their time than try to catch someone out.

And even when trolls are caught out by MN "investigators" it gives them a buzz anyway and feeds them more.

Best to ignore.

Totally agree. The trouble with name changes is that you have no idea who has been around for 15 years and knows how the site works and who is new and doesn't know.

Fully agree OP, like seriously anyone gives a shit or recognises them in real life. So dramatic. Just roll your eyes

So why does typing "NC for this...penis beaker..." make a person more trustworthy?!

Anyone can do that if they're determined to troll!