Hemlock B Bootsalotta

I've seen people manipulate the facts or just flat-out lie to make themselves look like the victim and the good-guy. And I knew that they were doing it because it's really easy to get stroked and have people outraged on their behalf if they bend the facts just a little bit.

i've never been entirely convinced that the majority of people are *capable* of being entirely truthful. we're social animals, and we're hardwired to manipulate social status. it's what humans do, all the time, in all social networks.

i think it's too much to expect to rely on anyone's word on its own, especially in any situation where there's a possible 'victim'. the overwhelming majority of people always try to make themselves look good. the ones who are good at it, you just don't *notice*. it's a sophisticated dance, between looking vulnerable when it doesn't matter, and looking good when it does.

i rather like LJ. i resisted it for a long time. but as far as i'm concerned it's just a social networking tool. an easy way to keep in touch with a lot of people about a lot of things without having to write long individual emails about the same things to loads of different people. like alt.gothic was, only rather more diverse.

i haven't noticed much of the drama, although i have heard things that i thought pretty mild called "drama", and i haven't noticed much of the hundreds of different journals just for bitching, or forums that exist just for being an asshole in. i found dramatards kind of a distasteful concept like that, though.