Comments on: What if Instead of being a Blogger, I was just a Liar?

By: unknownmami

unknownmami — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 19:36:00 +0000

By: thara ravishanker

thara ravishanker — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 18:27:00 +0000

I’m not dishonest- well not very. I will lie when the truth means getting into unnecessary trouble. Yets that about it. Why cant they be truthful and say its fiction? Like you, I would be annoyed. Its unmoral and unacceptable. However, you do need to have some trust when reading blogs. And, a ability to know what is opinion and what is fact.

By: Chris H

Chris H — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:48:00 +0000

Like you I wouild be very annoyed to find out a blog I was invested in was all a lie. Sometimes I do wonder about some blogs… at the end of the day you have to have trust. Without it you might as well never go on the ‘net!

By: gayle

gayle — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:30:00 +0000

I completely agree with you! I like to know that what I am reading on blogs is true. Sometimes I wonder………is this person stretching the truth, joking or just plan lying.
If I want to read fiction……I’ll just read a book! I would be very pissed!

By: Classic NYer

Classic NYer — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 19:14:00 +0000

In reply to unknownmami. I don't know maybe you are a horrible singer, have a tension-free relationship with your mother, have so much money that you burn it for warmth in your fireplace, but I doubt it. You know, I kind of like your version of my reality better than my version...

By: Betty Manousos

Betty Manousos — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 10:56:00 +0000

what a blilliant post!
well said.
i totally agree with you.
betty xx

By: unknownmami

unknownmami — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 04:50:00 +0000

In reply to Classic NYer.

There is a difference between being delusional and being a liar. I’m fine with self-aggrandizing, flights of fancy, you name it…BUT this just struck me as wrong for so many reasons. I could go on and on about it, but what mostly bothers me is this…(I quote from the article I referenced) “By going lesbian, MacMaster and Graber capitalize twice: first on the
oppressed class of women and then on the minority status of lesbians. As
the more-ambitious fabulist, MacMaster expands his con to include
ethnicity and faith by making Amina a half-Syrian Muslim. I’m sure that
had he continued his ruse, MacMaster would have eventually put Amina in a
wheelchair, sent her to a 12-step program, and hospitalized her for
anorexia.”

I don’t know maybe you are a horrible singer, have a tension-free relationship with your mother, have so much money that you burn it for warmth in your fireplace, but I doubt it. You aren’t misrepresenting yourself to get ahead and these fools were.

I wouldn’t lose my job, but I would lose faith and trust and walking around feeling like you can’t trust people who say they are telling the truth sucks. Sure everything online should be taken with a grain of salt, but this hoax would require desalinating large parts of the ocean.

By: Cyndy DysFUNctional Mom

Cyndy DysFUNctional Mom — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 04:27:00 +0000

I assume that every blog I read is non-fiction, and I would be hurt to find out otherwise. I would no longer read that blog and then I would question everything I read, which would suck.
This reminds me of the guy who wrote a book and called it a memoir, went on Oprah talking about it, and then it all turned out to be fiction. It’s just wrong.

By: Classic NYer

Classic NYer — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 04:24:00 +0000

You know, on some level, why does it matter? Would your world collapse if you found out that your favorite blogger was a fraud? Would you lose your job? Would your kids get sick? And then, how deep does a lie have to be before it’s unacceptable? What if they were straight girls, or gay guys? Would you stop reading my blog if I actually lived in New Jersey?

The reason I’m taking this position is that 1. I like being the devil’s advocate sometimes and 2. don’t tell anyone, but I lie on my blog all the time. I tell you all that I’m the world’s greatest singer, that I’m a superwoman, that I’m “exotic” (whatever the fuck that means anyway), that my everyday foolishness is justifiable, etc, and in truth I can’t really verify any of those statements.

I actually kind of have a fear that one day one of you will meet me and think “she’s nothing like the chick I thought she was.” Maybe I’m a fraud… if I were, would it matter?

No, seriously… would it?

By: Carma

Carma — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 21:35:00 +0000

I was shocked when I read about that blog too; and not that much fuss was made about it because it was such an important cause or some such thing; I don’t take kindly to being misled and would never do that to my handful of readers. Like you, I’m the real deal.

By: TechnoBabe .

TechnoBabe . — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 06:25:00 +0000

That hasn’t been something I have thought much about but how the heck do we know fellow bloggers are being honest? And is that a requirement? And if it is, why would it be? I for one blog anonymously as you do. My reasons are not the same as yours, but I don’t think I will ever feel safe revealing a clear picture of myself and especially will not put my name on the internet. Writing my blog has been a help with my discovering my inner person and letting go of so much of my past. I agree with so many people who say if you want to write fiction, do it, and let it be known as fiction, don’t try to pass off fiction as biographical.

By: Ttownsend

Ttownsend — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 03:53:00 +0000

I have thought this before…what if everyone was lying on their blogs? I certainly hope not. Very interesting!

By: toi

toi — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:24:00 +0000

I do agree with you 100%, writting undercover to protect a person’s identity is a fair choice but claiming to be something that you are not is ethically wrong, and cruel to people’s emotions.

By: Davidwaters005

Davidwaters005 — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:51:00 +0000

I think with blogging, like life we need read, enjoy, invest…but with some caution.

as always another great post friend

By: Mrs4444

Mrs4444 — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:47:00 +0000

In reply to unknownmami. Good!

By: tracismixedbag

tracismixedbag — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:46:00 +0000

Very interesting post. Who has time to write that kind of sham? I mean really, it must be people so delusional that it comes easily. A real egoist would want people knowing it’s them (that’s why there are fiction writers) so I think it’s more than that. I would probably be upset if I got to know someone (who was pulling malarkey) and invested in their life by reading and commenting. The only way I would be more understanding is if the blog posts were part of writing a book. But I don’t know, I can’t know unless it actually happens to me.

By: unknownmami

unknownmami — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:33:00 +0000

In reply to Mrs4444. You made me laugh.

By: Mrs4444

Mrs4444 — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:29:00 +0000

Whew. For a second, I thought, “What?! I’m meeting a Mormon guy in the park? Maybe I should cancel!” Thank goodness.

Yes, that would tick me off!!!

By: Angelia Sims

Angelia Sims — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 02:21:00 +0000

I have heard of blogs like that. Complete fabrications for the joy of the person getting away with it. It just seems soooo strange! Why? Why? Why? But then you’d have to explain why people circle emails about fake missing children, and false illnesses, and computer viruses….

Really, it’s sad. I am glad to know you are you, and you are true in emotion and heart. It shows through your writing.

By: Thebipolardiva

Thebipolardiva — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 01:42:00 +0000

It’s funny you wrote this. There is a blogger I follow that I’ve come to realize makes a lot of stuff up. That in itself I have no problem with, but when this person tries to pass it off as “real life” it kind of ticks me off. But I’ve come to realize that they are insecure in who they are and are creating a persona that they wish they were. So I guess I can understand that. But as for those guys passing themselves off as lesbians…..that’s just wrong. As you said “If you want to write fiction, then write fiction.” Don’t pass it off as real life. Ok, there’s my dissertation, sorry for the rant. And I’d love you paper bag or not!