Why don't DUers put at least their Gender and State in their Profile?

[autorank]

I'm all in favor of anonymity (to borrow a phrase, "the foundation of our program"). But why won't people at least list their state and gender. It's great to see where a message author really comes from. I'm at the point where I tend to disregard messages from users without any attribution of at least these two elements.

I understand that there are folks out there who guard their privacy. When this includes absolutely no identifying information, it weakens what are otherwise awesome posts.

Just a question, not a challenge.

[Coyote_Bandit]

1. I'm Embarrassed

to live in crazy red f*cking JOklahoma. Give me a break.

[tx_dem41]

4. I usually get mad at DUers that rail about the blue people that live..

in Red states. But, in your case...I mean it is Oklahoma! :-)

(NOTE: I live in Texas).

[autorank]

6. I think that's great.

Who would know who you are? It's a big ass state. I like talking to other Red State folks (I'm in VA myself). If "they" are coming to get us, it won't be through state IDs.

[Coyote_Bandit]

28. I may live in JOklahoma

but I do not consider myself part of the JOklahoma community. That would require some shared sense of future. I have been a jobless schmuck for over 2 years now and do not anticipate finding work here anytime in the forseeable future.

No reason to identify myself as an Okie when:
(1) there is no place for me here;
(2) I do not share majority Okie values and do not consider myself part of the Okie community; and
(3) I can't wait to relocate elsewhere.

JOklahoma has been my worst nightmare. I was approaced and recruited. I relocated from another state in 2001 only to be laid-off along with about 30% of my co-workers just over a year later. Some of them also remain jobless. Personally, I hope to moon the Tulsa City Limit sign when I finally vacate the armpit of the Bible Belt.

I really am embarrassed to live in crazy red f*cking JOklahoma. More embarrassed about that than afraid of you knowing who I am.

[tx_dem41]

29. Hey...I was just funnin' with you.

I'm originally from Louisiana. I'm proud of it in my own way. But imagine the comments I've heard over the years.

[Coyote_Bandit]

33. I Know

But I still hate living here. I refuse to claim this state.

I have a gay cousin who lives in Louisiana. My condolences.

[tx_dem41]

34. Well, New Orleans wasn't that bad actually.

And 75% Blue to boot.

[Coyote_Bandit]

35. Fun Town!!!

Can't say the same for the northern half of the state.

[autorank]

60. Move to the DC area, beaucoup jobs and liberal in all directions!

[Tess49]

38. Me too, but I fessed up.

[neebob]

2. How do gender and state help you judge the content of a post?

To answer your question, while I sometimes reveal my gender, state, and more, I also enjoy being mysterious. And I don't see how my gender and state really add anything to what I say. Which brings me back to my question for you.

[autorank]

12. Actually State is the interesting field. Gender probably doesn't matter.

We had a number of Red/Blue state thread. It was fascinating to see how people in different regions responded and to see the essential unity. A user down thread says lots of people lie on profiles so my premise is probably wrong.

[neebob]

18. Okay, I'm a chick from Colorado - originally from Utah.

Are you happy now?

[Eric J in MN]

45. It isn't about judging. The point is to have context. (tn)

nt

[TalkingDog]

3. I've been around too many crazy people in my life.

PTSD is no fun and it tends to make you very....."private".

[autorank]

8. Understand!!! Completely.

[greenbriar]

5. to guard against phone calls and other

no good events

[tx_dem41]

11. Hmmm..."greenbriar"....West Virginia?

I won't tell anyone. ;)

[jdj]

7. I put my information in.

But on the internet, I lie about personal information.

My profile is turned off, and I don't know how to turn it on. I tried the other night, but lost interest before I figured it out.

That's funny, I never look at profiles, I just assume everyone else lies too.

[seriousstan]

9. Some of us value our anonymity.

[phantomvotes]

10. if I THOUGHT IS WAS

anbodies FFFFFFFFFFFNNNNNNNNNNNN buiz id of let them know.
By the way, Mijuer know itall' If you show me yourz, I'LL show you MINE.

[autorank]

14. Welcome to DU. Just click on the person icon and mine is there.

[AngelAsuka]

37. Is that level of abrasiveness

really necessary for such a question?

I don't know, maybe its just me.

~~AA~~

[autorank]

53. Welcome to DU!!! Sue!!! Like your phrasing.

There is a fair amount of abrasiveness, at times, although it's not the general character around here. People are usually very friendly, particularly to new users (unless it's is a "moran" who challenges your pedigree because you disagree with them; just ignore them).

If someone has a beef with the world, what easier way is there to express it than to go on a blog and be rude. I realized that my question on the thread is fairly provocative and, even though people disagree, there are no flames; so that's a good sign.

Hope you enjoy it around here as much as I do!!!!!

[Oversea Visitor]

13. Well

mine can be view all right but hey I am not living in US so dont have the fear factor.

[seabeyond]

15. not a matter of guarding privacy

i didnt think anyone would be interested and i dont bother with any of that. just wanted to chat on a board about politics. i have never checked someones profile, obviously not a high priority for me, as it is for you

[sweetheart]

16. It leads towards profiling

Gender is a classic example. What relevance is it. If you don't know,
then it could be either, and perhaps the person can make a point that
is beyond gender profiling.

Perhaps the person can make a point about a state, and not be living
there... and perhaps that point is just as relevant as from those who
live there.

I guess it comes from "lawnmower man syndrome" where we can take on
an alternate internet ID and be disembodied from our physical form
in its chair, with its warts and farts. Does it change the relevance
of ones point? Does knowing someone's age really change the value of
their opinion if you're not ageist. If you are, would it not be wiser
for people not to disclose their ages?

Sadly, our culture focuses too much on the personality, and not enough
on the argument, or the point that that person is making.

I had profile turned off for a year, and i turned it on cuz i just
don't give a hoot anymore. Yet i really believe that my consciosuness
and its views in life, is not relevant to what's between my legs or
how old this body is. There are very wise 18 years olds, who can
write well... and there are stupid 60 years old white men who can't
explain themselves without a gun.

If we lived in a world where people were not constantly profiling
each other and making judgements based on those things, perhaps it
would mean less... Given what you say, its just as relevant why people
don't put their race, their age, their last years income, their
job title.. and a full declaration of themselves... and all it would
do is allow people to pidgeon hole them and ignore their views based
on discrimination.

As we are all democrats of a big tent... what does it matter. We
are all persons. We all will die one day, and we will all live
somewhere on the earth's crust until that point. Why should we
make a person's voice irrelevant to anything but a square meter of
earth?

[autorank]

20. Lawnmower Man...ok. Agree on gender, state's interesting.

I like the 'big tent' concept. Seeing state is helpful. I've had a number of extremely positive dialogs just because people presume I'm in CA (was for years) and finding out I'm not. I was more curious than anything. The "Lawnmower Man" syndrome is an interesting point for the user, maybe it has a variable impact on the reader.

[Eric J in MN]

44. The profile doesn't even have a line for age.

The point is that it's nice to know what state and gender a poster is.

[sweetheart]

47. gender is irrelevant

My point about age, is similar... also irrelevant, but easily added.

"nice to know" things are any personal information a person wishes to
share that might shed light on their views and whatnot. Need it be
systematically available all the time for persons to see and deliberate?

State could be seen as relevant, given the politics of various states,
but gender is at best a way to pick people up, and at worst divisive.

[Eric J in MN]

49. I haven't witnessed any pickup attempts on the General Discussion

board during the many hours I've been here.

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

17. Why does it matter?

How does it weaken a post? You've really confused me on that one.

I keep my gender undeclared on my profile precisely BECAUSE I think it doesn't and shouldn't matter. All too often in life what we say and do is filtered by others through a gender schema/race schema/etc., which changes their perception of our words/actions.

Depending on the subject, my posts often make it clear what my gender is. But for posts where it isn't an issue...why does it matter?

[autorank]

30. Actually your Avatar says it all. Need to check back in on StrongBad.

I agree on Gender. With regard to state, it is interesting that's all. I don't think it weakens the post, it's just a bit too mysterious, in my opinion, but hey, what do i know?

[ogradda]

61. exactly why i don't like to show my gender.

and i show my state because why not? but it doesn't matter to me if people want to share that info or not...if i like their posts i like their posts.:shrug:

[BlueJazz]

19. Hell, I tell people all the time where I live when they ask about....

,,Blue vs Red states and "How is the weather where you live"
I mean, the St Petersburg, Tampa, Clearwater area has about 2 million people. If somebody wants to go to all the hassle to try to find little ol' inconsequential me...then go ahead...waste your time... :)

[tx_dem41]

22. Ahh....St. Pete, Tampa, Clearwater..

"We" are vectoring on you Blue...a costly slip-up on your part. Prepare for the knock on the door in the morning! ;-)

[autorank]

25. That's exactly how I feel.

If someone wants to find me, they can do it more efficiently than by knowing my state. I do like the dialog based on locale. If I see a really great post and I have a dialog with the person, I'll pop in on the profile and do the 'buddy list' thing (whatever that does).

BTW, St. Pete now has about the only decent large metro newspaper in America, IMHO!

[lectrobyte]

21. There was some one here who posted something that got them

fired after someone identified them based on the city they lived in.

[Warpy]

23. Female posters don't like being harassed

and they would be, espeically by the Freeper lurkers here.

[autorank]

26. I agree...State is the only point of interest. I understand.

The thought of being harassed like that is just rediculous. Don't blame you.

[Clark2008]

32. I have only been harassed once

and it was by someone claiming to be a journalist, which was my former profession.

I don't care if people know I'm a single Mom in Tennessee. Whoopee. There are tons of us. ;)

[Eric J in MN]

51. Was it on the General Discussion board? nt

nt

[Digit]

24. Why would it matter?

I am now in a red state, but was born & resided in a solid blue area until '96.
I felt like an alien here ever since, so how can you judge by seeing my current state of residence?

[autorank]

27. Just a point of dialog, that's all. I'm a major alien in my state too!

[noamnety]

31. I got fed up on other boards with dealing with this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2974017

as for guys that don't post their gender, I just assume that's because they're too busy telling me what I'm supposed to do with my uterus to take the time to fill it in.

:evilgrin:

[neebob]

39. You mean fill in their profile, right?

Not your uterus, I hope.

[noamnety]

42. LMAO

I'm hard pressed to figure out which scenario is worse. :D

[mhr]

36. Homeland Security - What You Gone To Do When They Come After You?

eom

[shesemsmom]

41. Let them come

hell they can't take us all or shut us up.... at least they can't shut me up..lol

[autorank]

48. Hate to upset you but my profile is not how they're gonna get me.

I do think of retribution for political stance from time to time but I know enough about the "internet(s)" and the prying that's done to tell me that there are many other easier ways to find out who I am. Besides, homeland security is not the worry, it's the FBI, CIA and the other national security funsters who would pose the threat.

[mhr]

62. My Post Was Sarcastic In Nature

eom

[BrotherBuzz]

40. I like to keep 'em guessing

:)

[Eric J in MN]

43. I agree with autorank

Take 5 minutes to give us a clue who you are.

[phantomvotes]

46. I'm am now a registered repub

but voting Green next time. Oh! wait, Sorry, maybe I'm a hermaphrodite going to UMP Me self.

Some day they'll have a cure fore cynicism.

[autorank]

52. Welcome to DU!!! Cynicism advised. Just different ways of expressing it.

Maybe there should be a DU Forum for unregistered Democrats who wish to be perceived as Registered Republicans for purposes of anonymity. With regard to the 'hermaphrodite' thing, at lease you'll have someone interesting to talk to when it's all over. Cheers!

[autorank]

50. That's a great f'ing blog. I will "visit every day."

Pardon my ignorance but does that bill board actually exit & if so, where is it? I've seen it all over but presumed it was a creative photoshop. If it exists, it should become the Democrat's eqivalent to Lourdes! Thanks for the link to the blog, it is really excellent. It's one of the five or six blogs I've found by DUers that add to my belief that "the man" has limited time.

[NuttyFluffers]

54. to make you suffer

and that means you specifically. see, when i signed up i thought to myself 'ahh, autorank, how to irritate him... i know! i'll ignore the gender question on my profile' :P

:evilgrin:

oh wait... you didn't want a smartass answer? but, but, but... i'm an ivory tower, latte drinking, sushi eating, effete elitist -- it's like in the blood!

:silly:

[autorank]

55. Hey, wait just one minute. I always want a smart ass answer!

I am so thrilled to have found the person (note gender neutrality) who in a wanton, premeditated fashion plotted "how to irritate...autorank." :tinfoilhat: Now the entire effort of realizing I'd made a mistake on this question (including the Gender part, you're right) is justified because my question is answered. I just checked my buddy list to see if you were there, hoping you were since it would justify my suspicions all along. :mad:

You were meant to torment me since I was born and raised in the center of Central California; dirt busting, cheap wine drinking, steak eating, populist.

Since you've prompted all this self disclosure, I'll admit that, although I say I'm a Clark supporter, I have an underlying loyalty to:

http://www.thevoicestellyoutovote.com/

:hi:

[phantomvotes]

56. DOn't leave me out now

Iowans' Like cheep stake, moon shine and busting dirt bags too.

[autorank]

57. Welcome to the bottom...

...of the barrel. You need the populist part too but that's close enough. Although I hear that there is actually a Starbucks in Iowa City.

[phantomvotes]

59. Thanks AUTORANK

But I'm not even close to the city. I can at least get a bag of starbucks home brew at FAREWAY GROCERY. French roast is my FAV.

THATS the TRU- ME soFAR

[NuttyFluffers]

64. hey! another person who understand the threat of gremlins!

they destroy all my favorite possessions.

and those damnable imps like to hide the rest! i hate it when they hide my sushi... it's always the worst to find.

[Swamp Rat]

58. It's FUN!

It's entertaining to know where someone is from or where they call home.

[LunaC]

63. What makes you think people would be honest?

How many of us complete on-line registrations with bogus info to thwart the Marketeers? It's a small act of anarchy to protect our identity and sanity.