You know, every time this subject comes up, someone raises a variation of what you wrote. I guess I'm going to have to be horribly fannish and digressive and try to include as a footnote something like the following:
I don't mean that you should be obliged to put the name on your birth certificate on your badge if that is not the name by which you are commonly known and by which other people call you commonly and that you can be easily identified by. For example, local fan "Spike" Parson's given name is Patricia, but if you put that name on her badge, most people wouldn't know her by name. If you're better known by your pen name, you should use that, not your legal name.
There is a difference between pseudonymity and anonymity. The former is common enough. The latter tends to be pernicious, as people get the impression that they can avoid their actions having any consequences. (See DDB's comment above.)
I don't know how many ways I can say this without being misunderstood. I ended up writing what turned into a huge article for Argentus #6 on the subject of membership badges. I spent quite a few words on the subject of "badge names" trying to apply common sense.
I'm perfectly aware of good reasons for wanting to remain behind a pseudonym. What bothers me are people using that pseudonym as an excuse for being anti-social.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2007-03-13 05:00 am (UTC)I don't mean that you should be obliged to put the name on your birth certificate on your badge if that is not the name by which you are commonly known and by which other people call you commonly and that you can be easily identified by. For example, local fan "Spike" Parson's given name is Patricia, but if you put that name on her badge, most people wouldn't know her by name. If you're better known by your pen name, you should use that, not your legal name.
There is a difference between pseudonymity and anonymity. The former is common enough. The latter tends to be pernicious, as people get the impression that they can avoid their actions having any consequences. (See DDB's comment above.)
I don't know how many ways I can say this without being misunderstood. I ended up writing what turned into a huge article for Argentus #6 on the subject of membership badges. I spent quite a few words on the subject of "badge names" trying to apply common sense.
I'm perfectly aware of good reasons for wanting to remain behind a pseudonym. What bothers me are people using that pseudonym as an excuse for being anti-social.