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Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by IncRnd on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @11:14AM (#24199649)
It's often the other way around... Many times, salespeople use different names on the phone than in real life.
Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by Consultant32452 on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @11:25AM (#24199798)
I always assumed it was to make it more difficult for me to hunt down and kill cold callers.
Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by rriepe on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @01:45PM (#24201720)
This is funny, but I think the real insidious reason is that it takes away the "saying your name" psychological advantage.
Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by pc86 on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @02:42PM (#24202517)
What's insidious about that, exactly?
Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by hnick on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @07:32PM (#24205579)
Every good magician knows that True Names hold great power!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_name

Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by HugeAcumen on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @03:44PM (#24203412)
It's deception to an utter randomer, as well as to yourself.

You really need to be careful with lying to yourself like that. Being a whole integrated person who doesn't have to remember who he is and what lies he's told comes in handy.

Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by amelius on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @06:07PM (#24204917)
Yes, but aren't there notorious liars that are doing pretty well in life?
Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by HugeAcumen on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @08:48PM (#24206043)
If you measure "doing well in life" by money and power, yes.

If you measure by being a decent and content person, I'd have to say no.

Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by rriepe on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @04:47PM (#24204152)
What if I want to sell them something back?
Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by ant6n on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @12:29PM (#24200718)
The story made explicit references to how John us the character‘s legal name and jake isn’t.
Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by IncRnd on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @12:58PM (#24201107)
How does that affect what I wrote?

Actually, that's not exactly what the story contained. It said that John was the legal name, but it didn't say that Jake wasn't the legal name. That happens all the time, John Jake Johnson, for example.

Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by balfirevic on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @01:17PM (#24201379)
> I heard her call him Jake (nowhere in his name legal name)
Re:Having an alter ego can reduce anxiety, benefit confidenc... by IncRnd on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @01:47PM (#24201752)
Thanks! I had missed that.