The cover is blown... sort of.
Over Shabbos, I found out that I am not nearly as anonymous as I was a few weeks ago. A recent post of mine was read by someone who knows the subject of the post, who then spread the word (not out of malice, but because they liked what I said in the post).
Truth to tell, I'm actually okay with it. When I wrote the post I was well aware that there was a possibility that someone could identify me from the post. If I were truly paranoid about my "secret identity" I probably would not have posted it to begin with (or at least altered it significantly more than I did). So, I can't say that I'm totally shocked by this.
In addition, I have no regrets about writing the post. I was touched and moved by the events of the day...and I still am. I thought that they deserved to be written about and shared... and I still do. So I don't regret writing the post, even if it means that many more people know who I am.
In reality, I've been going back and forth on the whole "anonymous blogger" bit for a few years already. Back in 2009, I was considering just coming out and revealing who I am*. At the time, I simply chose to remain anonymous. Nonetheless, despite that decision, I did begin the "coming out" process. I informed some close friends** and family members about my blog. I posted about real-life people that I knew (even if it meant that their families would be able to identify me). I even went to a blogger's meet-up without a mask and allowed myself to be photographed. :) In addition, many of the photographs that I post on this blog are posted elsewhere on the 'net under my real name. It was probably only a matter of time before someone saw one of my pictures and said to him/herself, "Hey, didn't I see that picture somewhere else..."
With all that being said, however, I'm not going to be revealing my name here. I expect that if you really wanted to find out who I am, you could probably do it without too much difficulty. If you know me in real life and want to ask me about my blog, by all means, feel free to ask. If you don't know me in real life... well, my name probably wouldn't mean anything to you anyway. I'm not a famous (or infamous) person... just a regular frum guy in Brooklyn posting on a blog. So, there's not going to be any "grand announcement" of my identity... but I'm not going to be paranoid about it either. I guess you can call it "pseudo-anonymous."
For those of you who do know me in real life and are aware of this blog, I ask you to please not make any public announcements. If someone asks you directly if the Wolf is so-and-so, by all means, don't lie. But please don't just give it out to every Tom, Dick or Harry who asks without reason (and I leave it up to your discretion as to whether it's a good reason or not).
Thanks,
The Wolf
* Not that my real name would probably mean anything to you. I'm not a famous person.
** If you're reading this and you're thinking "we must not be close because he never told me..." please don't think that way. If you never expressed an interest in blogs one way or the other, then there would have been no reason for me to mention it.
10 comments:
We met in person once and you introduced yourself to me by both name and blog persona. As it happens I've long since forgotten the former. For my purposes other people having a consistent identity is important because it lets me build a 'profile' of you over time, letting me weight your opinions appropriately. But whether that identity is The Brooklyn Wolf or Ploni Ben Alomi isn't important for my purposes.
I had seen the article this past shabbos and was considering messaging you about possibly taking down the post you had written but it seems like you have things under control
You also paid a Shiva call to me so as far as I'm concerned your midos are top notch anyway.
I met you once in person and found out your first name... only reason i'd care to find out your last name also would be to friend you on facebook ;-)
You know http://images.google.com/ can be used in reverse.
have no idea who you are, but I really love following your blog. thanx.
About 99.8% sure. You shouldn't make it so easy ;)
Itche: On what basis?
Not sure wolf would want me to say. It would be tantamount to announcing it publicly
I've been away for a while, and I'm sorry I'm so late commenting. The (if I may call you by your first name), even though I don't like anonymity, I think you should try to stay as anonymous as you can because you've written about your children here. You've written as a loving father and hadn't said anything bad about them, but I think revealing yourself would be a violation of their privacy.
Just my opinion, The. And as I've said before, you and Mississippi (another person I'm being so chutzpadik as to use the first name of) give anonymity a good name. (There are others, but you're the two who come immediately to mind.)
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