I found out recently that someone I interact with quite a bit over the internet wasn't the same as they let on

your questions and answers are directly from you anyways, it's a different story if you plagearized them and posted as your own. but your physical appearance, civil status or anything that you wish you be private should be respected. i bet most people here dont give as much personal information to anybody because this is a question and answer site, not a meet-a-friend, hook-up or dating game site. so whoever or whatever you are dont matter just as long as you present yourself in a decent way. you have to right to privacy, and using a facade is just a way of keeping the mystery.

you can be my friend even i i dont see you or mingle with you. the time we spend interacting with our questions and answers are enough for me to value you as real and a good friend.

I think that while the person might have done wrong to you personally that doesn't mean it should affect y&A. However as for them lying to you , you shouldn't believe what anyone tells you at face value. You can only hope that they are a good person. It is so easy for somebody to be so deceptive over the internet, that being said keep in mind that they really don't know you either so they may not want to tell you the truth completely so that they are still protecting themselves. How do they know that you are who you say you are. Over the internet the only thing that can be relayed without consequences is your personality. I hope you didn't give out your personal information(address, name, etc.)

I think though that you should confront this person about them lying to you, keeping in mind that being a prostitute,65,etc doesn't make them less of a person. It's really if they are a good person or not, try not to be too harsh on them, they already had a hard enough life as it was being a prostitute and all. Sometimes people reach out to other people because they need to be needed but they are not very open to people because they have been hurt too many times before so they create this false persona until they are sure you are a nice person. Also, you should learn a lesson from all of this and be careful as to what information you give out to somebody. Not being judgemental here as a friend just asking you to be more careful but asking you to be kind hearted toward the person who deceived you as you don't know the real reason behind their lies but still take every precaution to protect yourself. always your true friend. me. Try to have a good day hope this doesn't ruin it for you.

Not at all, for all I know you are "really a sixty-five year old retired prostitute from Des Moines with one bad eye and a limp." The qualities I look for in a good answer (or question for that matter) have nothing to do with aesthetics or career choices. It's all about intellect and wit; and you seem to be doing just fine.

I think we should not elevate this Yahoo exchange to the level of professor/student relationship. reading certain questions and answers creat some thoughts in us and we share them.The name or the personality behind is og little importance to us.

If you have read a book called "Blink" you might have noted the author`s research into human mind. he says that many of us go by a certain preconceived ideas and we react accordingly. Our belief system , our comfort felings are all conditioned by what we see in the other. Luckily in this Yahoo exchange we donot see the person behind the words and we ponder over the words and the meanings . That is all.

If , for example, I were to look at the picture along side your name , Farm bred-grainfed, in my mind I am not able to match the two. What is he trying to express? manliness?

Secondly, even if you happen to be a Des Moines prostitute should you not have a view of your own? Can you not philosophise? In fact more so when you would think why men ( or women) are so crazy about a few minutes pleasure and are willing to risk things?

I agree with teepeetop and aLVaRo. I don't even look at avatars mostly you can put any thing up there why should that matter? And as long as you give good answers I don't see where that would matter at all. And if you're friends and fans don't continue to look there not true friends or fans. That is one thing that a lot of people seem to forget when on the Internet you can talk to any one. you have to remember that they can say there 55 and really be a 12 year old or so on. But i personally believe there are good people and true out there and on here.

Just My thoughts

For me, I value the words and thoughts over the appearence or acceptability. The message is more important than the messenger... However, if someone was claiming to be a 56 year old black male ex-US Marine, and they turned out to be an 22 year old Southern white woman, I would certainly wonder "why?"

Once, years ago, my brother called me for advice, 'cause he was kind of upset about something. I was stoned at the time, as I used to do that a lot years ago, but since he was upset, I didn't tell him, listened, thought about what he was saying, and gave my thoughts and opinions. And I would stand by anything I said, even though I was stoned. And he took my advice and did well with it. Six months later he learned I was stoned when he spoke to me and we had a big fight. I still don't really understand his problem at the time, because my advice was good regardless of my condition when I offered it.

People can be weird.

There are truths that permeate the questions and answers here on Y!A. and wisdom to be found for our individual growth separate from their source. Meaning that on my personal path if I glean an insight or connection within my quest from another Q/A than that is what I am looking for.

If I were to develop a friendship and realize that the person behind my treasured Q/A was lying to me about who they were...I'd ask why.

If they were lying about their beliefs that would be a whole different scenario.

It's one thing to be safe on the internet and say you are different than you are because it really doesn't matter.....and quite another thing to outwardly lie about knowledge or opinion from our essences.

I would feel more loss if one of my internet acquaintances were 'acting' not being true to who they are at their core that if they simply concealed their true identity.

I think the reason the one would bother me is because if I consider the said person to be a friend then that means I believe I can relate with them and they are a kind person. I will take to heart their views and opinions and potentially question the seemingly authentic wisdom they imparted on me.

If they were casually taking on certain persona's for entertainment...there still may be value to be had from their exercise, however, I would then question the priority in considering them an authentic friend.

It's far more than outward appearances...it has everything to do with authenticity of heart.

Nice question first I its the internet haha and people hide behind their computers all the time with their mental issues that they have gone through but as far as judging there answers I would still say they hold value hahaha but wonder why this person lied to me that their gay or a prostitute a terrorists etc. hahaha God forbid..............the truth always comes out in the end it really does especially when you ask the right questions.......I doubt your status would change on Yahoo either hahaha but it will be a victory for your own soul to come clean with who you really are.............anyone that had darkness and plays games and is not truthful with their answers I personally already know they are hiding something big about themselves haha and again the truth will come out hahaha

BT internet good i'm wireless all over the place + I've got Fons! and that means so do lot of other user we are all helping build the big free wi-fi zones; However sky? well is it available in your area! and in some cases you can not go Wireless check this out first before you give up on BT there help team is very good also have you tried it its freeeeeeeeeee

A little story here....a woman had a husband who passed and they were married many years. Her husband told her he was a famous ballplayer and talked it up among friends and in the community. She trusted him explicitly but when he passed she sent out notices to people of his demise. The famous ballplayer her husband claimed to be contacted the woman and said "I'm NOT dead". Come to find out her husband lied to her all those years. How do you think she felt when that other guy came forward?

Ok, so that happens a lot, happens in marriages, happens with friends (they'll turn on a dime), and you expect someone on the net to be honest to you???? I used to have a neighbor who would take up my time telling me all her problems so I'd give advise, and along with advise we normally ask questions. When I caught her in several lies I finally pointed that out to her and she responded, "my sister who is a teacher told me I don't have to tell the truth to anyone I don't know". I was shocked but learned a lesson. You need to learn that lesson too. In YA we don't get into each others situations or problems, certainly don't take them seriously because YA is a "game" and it's for points. You don't have to be accepted in here to answer or ask a question. There is no value based at all. If you have friends or fans then they're there only to help you get points and you to help them get points. Why take the net and YA to personally? For those of us who are an open book though it gets irritating when someone wants to check you out and insists on knowing more about you. There's nothing more folks...lol