Catfish??? Have you heard the term? According to MTV, the network that produces one of my favorite reality shows, “Catfish: The TV Show”, it is defined as:
catfish [kat-fish] verb
To pretend to be someone you're not online by posting false information, such as someone else's pictures, on social media sites usually with the intention of getting someone to fall in love with you.
To pretend to be someone you're not online by posting false information, such as someone else's pictures, on social media sites usually with the intention of getting someone to fall in love with you.
The host of the show, Nev Schulman, was himself catfished. He had an online relationship with a beautiful 19 year old, Megan. Megan turns out to be in her 40's and married. His experience was documented in "Catfish: The Movie." In the reality series Nev and a film crew record the experiences of couples who have carried on long-distance relationships, often for many years, but who have never met in person. As a hopeless romantic I am always pulling for true love, but just as often that former Miss USA that a lonely 21 year old wants to marry turns out to be an aging, overweight, transgendered auto mechanic.
Last
October I spend a great weekend on Vashon Island with a group of bloggers who I
had met online. You can read about the
experience here. Prior to that weekend,
we knew each other only by what we had shared in our blogs. What I had learned about each of my fellow
bloggers from reading their writing proved to be true; they were intelligent,
funny, kind, adventurous…just the kind of friends I hoped they would be. Over the course of the weekend we frequently
referenced how well we knew each other. We
felt like old friends, even though prior to that weekend, we’d only had online
relationships.
I read articles all the time about retired people who are taken in by online scammers. I'm sure that some of my peers are leery of this medium. Retired
people who don’t make use of this technology are missing out on a powerful tool
that has the power to change their lives.
But, just like in an old comic book, sometimes that power can be used
for evil. The MTV show documents how easy it is to create an online identity and how some people online are deceitful, untrustworthy or cruel. My experience, however, was very positive. We were fortunate that none of
our blogging friends turned out to be catfish.
Posts
It's scary what can happen online! Glad you weren't disappointed, or hoodwinked.
ReplyDeleteI try not to be naive, but we can all be fooled. There was only one blogger who I have come across that I doubted their honesty. His stories just did not gel with one another.
ReplyDeleteOne of the bloggers I followed a while back turned out to be a fraud (Jeff D'Antonio). I had already stopped following him because something seemed off. He had thousands of followers.
ReplyDeleteI was fortunate to be one of the Vashonistas and loved seeing my friends in the flesh... that weekend will live in my mind and heart for a long, long time. Now, whenever I see "Benchmark 60" pop up, I smile because I get to visit with YOU again! :-)
My blogger meetings have been fine; pleasant afternoons. I haven't stopped following anyone for believing they were a fraud; only a bore.
ReplyDeleteI met two more blogging friends when I was in Tucson. Both of them were, in person, just as I had expected. So far, so good.
ReplyDeleteWe have to keep our antenna up at all times. I've yet to actually meet any of the bloggers I've become acquainted with. I'm certainly not against it though. In fact, there are many that I'd like to meet.
ReplyDeleteI know we laughed and joked about meeting the ax killer when we went to Vashon. Thankfully, we were all the lovely ladies we had grown to know and love on line. I understand the risks. It is a bit scary. I think that as DJan says, if one is a fraud, it will seem a bit off, but then who knows.
ReplyDeleteDear Jann, I remember reading the postings that you and your blogging friends made after you met together last year. I think I was able to do that because I already read DJan's blog. I'm met so many wonderful bloggers in the last two years and I tend to think they are who they say they are because their blogs are consistently them.
ReplyDeleteI did get to visit with a fellow blogger in January. She and her oldest daughter--who's eleven--came and stayed with me for three nights. She was exactly whom I thought she would be. I count her now as a dear friend. Peace.
This is a great posting I have read it is very interesting to read thank you
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of that term. How interesting. I have a good friend who is just starting to dip her toes into the world of online dating. I'll have to warn her to watch out for catfish!
ReplyDeleteThat's so crazy. The only thing catfish ever meant to me was a bottom feeding fish that tastes great battered & fried. I suppose bottom feeder is appropriate in either situation though huh?
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