Do You Care WHO You Marry on MS?

Based on logic, using your post, that would mean that people in real life do not try to hide their undesirable aspects in many ways. Why then, do people spend so much money on make up? To do their hair when getting out of bed, to dress as they want to represent themselves, to make their rooms, their actions, and their speech pointed in a specific point of view?

People try, but it's much more difficult to do.

People manipulate others in real life. It's merely less do-able than online because it's easier to hide certain aspects, such as appearance, online.

Yes, that's pretty much what I'm saying.

Also, your definition of normal is skewed. If everyone fit your expectations, then you'd be living in a perfect world.

What is wrong with it? Yes, but it would only be a perfect world from my perspective. I never said there was any universal standard of what is normal.

Completely different ways? As I said, why would someone go through the effort to act in a "completely different way"? To act not normal? To "not fit [your] perceptions of them?"

There isn't much effort required, and it's not for any of those reasons usually. People will behave in MS according to what will benefit them the most. Like joining a popular guild, then pretending that you <3 them so you can get a free zhelm and HT pendant or any other items. It's very easy to do and in any sort of pinch where people see what you're doing you can always justify it with the good old hypocritical "it's just a game" excuse. And people that behave this way in game could very well be some of the most productive people outside of it. Obviously that would have to be somewhat different or they wouldn't be able to support themselves.

So don't get fooled by it.

Exactly. That's why I treat online friendships in the manner that I do.

How is harassment comparable to having someone to talk to in a nice way? They're in fact, almost polar opposites.

Harassment and "being nice" to someone aren't opposites, it's what you have associated with them that makes you think they are opposites. Someone that is harassing you may only be doing it to get you to realize something and not for purely selfish purposes. Likewise, people may pretend to be nice just to get something that they want from you.

Then why do you play?

For fun, when I have free time. That's what videogames are for.

And in real life, what you say and do doesn't make you what you are either because you'd only show what you like about your personality in real life? Who WOULD like to show their negative aspects?

In real life you will show it whether you want to or not in your split second reactions. In bad situations where you're stressed out it will be hard to control yourself. You can hide it sometimes, but you will be vulnerable eventually.

If comments are edited and deleted, why don't the mods here on SouthPerry do it? Also, why don't people just burst out crying in real life, or express their true feelings to their bosses or their teachers, showing their negative aspects. Again, all people try to skew other's perceptions about them, it happens in both real life and online.

The mods on South Perry delete informative posts that hurt people's e-feelings regularly. This forum isn't exempt from being a typical Maple Story forum full of BS. People do do what you describe if they are pushed enough. I've witnessed it many times in highschool. That's exactly what I've said all along, but the point is that it's much more commonplace online due to the ease of it and lack of consequences.

I can see where you're speaking from because I've had similar experiences in my childhood as well. That however, doesn't prevent me from actually interacting with others. It doesn't matter whether or not you prove whether friends are decent. I don't care whether or not someone's loyal.

I still interact with others despite meeting plenty of two faced people, just only in real life where I can actually hold people somewhat accountable. I'm not a hermit yet, though I'm not entirely opposed to the idea. Those things matter to me. I would prefer not to be friends with someone than to have an unreliable friend. I can understand if people prefer quantity over quality and don't care to see if they're good friends, but it's just not something I'm interested in.

I'm one too. Aren't we all? However, although we all are liars, some people lie less often, some try not to lie at all.

I have trouble seeing where you're getting these statements. "The most successful people in the world are all liars...?
If you know they lie, why do you even talk to them? This question is one for real life, and not just directed at people you only know online.

I talk to them because, as you say as well, everyone is a liar. What matters to me is what they lie about and how they go about doing it. The successful people I'm talking about would be the politicians and businessmen that had to lie to a few people, fire a few people or even kill a few people to get to the seat that they have, and cover it all up or twist it a way that is contrary to the truth. Ted Kennedy comes to mind.

What else would you use the internet for? If "everyone" were lying, then you'd be tricked inevitably.

No one can trick you if you see everything communicated to you as simple text and take none of it to heart. If someone does manage to trick me though, I try to pay them back. I realize that it would be my fault though, for taking something on the internet seriously.