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'?

I have been thinking about it:

I feel that it is dangerous - whatever medium we use - to ever think that that the conventions that society has deleveloped over time, to enable us to live together - can ever, even for one moment, be set aside.

The danger is less than to or when using the chosen medium - but that we then forget that all communication with real people, with real feelings - is possibly the only reality.   

It leads to the idea that - where we may see that things like freedom of expression are important - as many have fought and died for this , and many still are fighting - that there are occasions and places where we can allow this to be trampled-on. And even participate in the trampling.

'This is only a frigging website'?.........No this is really as real as it gets.