Persona

The New York Times, in their Over 1,000 Writing Prompts for Students, suggested I ponder whether or not I am the same person on Facebook as I am in real life. Or rather, they suggested a student ponder the question. But here I ponder, nevertheless.

Yes, I think I am the same person on Facebook as I am in real life. I try to be, anyway. I tend not to post a lot on there when I’m depressed. But my reaction to depression in real life tends to be holing up like a hermit crab and not talking to anyone, so I suppose my Facebook reaction is still pretty authentic.

I might be wittier on Facebook, because I have more time to think about what I’m going to say there. And I’m more outgoing on Facebook, I think. I don’t insert myself into conversations very often in real life.

So maybe I’m not the same person on Facebook and in real life at all. But which one’s more me? Ugh, now I’m having an existential crisis. Thanks, New York Times.