Part Six: Names

By this point, nubi was doing pretty well, between working hard and being tutored by the Master. One day, he asked the Master:

"Master, most people on the internet use psuedonyms of some sort, yet you use your real name. Why is this?"

"Would you trust a news reporter in a newspaper who used "Unknown Man" as his tagline?"

"Well, no, but..."

The Master cut him off. "But nothing. Using my real name means that I've got nothing to hide. A catchy name might amuse people, and even be more memorable, but it's more ephemeral."

"So you use your real name to be nearer to your fellow user?"

"Of course not. Most of them don't. I use it because I am who I am. I use a simple picture of myself, as well. This way, people know who I am, and remember me, not a screen name."

"But why would you want that? What does it gain you?"

"Openness. When you are honest with people, they tend to be honest with you. Also, when they are dishonest with you, you have a better reason to snub them, as I did seosam, without being a hypocrite."

At this, nubi was enlightened.