The Mudcat is not real life?
Was letter writing real life? Was using the telephone real life? Is having a book published about you 'real'?

Every one of the posts here is made by a human being, (unless Joe Offer really IS a program written by Jeff), and reflects something of that person. Sometimes the personalities here meet and become persons to each other and play music or get married, or just do favors for each other. Conversing in the threads or PMs is a different aspect of life, but not a less 'real' one.

Being able to insult or taunt or belittle someone without looking him in the eye is something kinda new for most people, and some can't resist showing that side of themselves, excusing it by saying "oh, it's just the internet, it's not real". POOH!

Except for an occasional joke, I am always Bill D(ay) of Maryland, USA, and I have met, hugged, shaken hands with, sheltered, ridden with, given rides to, sang with, traded ideas with, taken pictures of and generally interacted with dozens of people who I never would have known if not for Mudcat. I am a better person for it, and I hope some of them feel the same.

I am not a religious person, and many of those I have met ARE, yet we almost never MENTION religion when we meet. I am a fairly liberal person, and many I meet are conservative Republicans, yet we 'usually' do not talk politics when we meet. The 'real' part of that is that I try to keep the conversation ONLINE such that, if I do meet them, the OFFLINE conversation will not be awkward.

Think about it.