I can understand how people who like to explore other personalities would try to become them for a while, but I don't think that's what happens with anonymous flamers. Their personas don't bounce off other people the same way they do in the physical world, only their words do. So what it comes down to is someone who enjoys making people react a certain way.

You may enjoy manipulating those who react honestly to your less-than-honest opinions. You may feel like you're in control. If I worried about that every time I answered a message, I'd never send anything out, and I'd be one paranoid puppy. (And yes, many of us have done that here and we wind up suspecting everyone and accidentally flaming the innocent.) I'm not going to allow myself to get to that point. My intention is to respond honestly, and if you've taken me in with a persona, you've done no more than you would have if you'd posted a true opinion.

Guest PL, my opinion is that you're here for the relationships more than the topics. This is because your emphasis is on personas and how you discuss things, not what's being discussed. You said "To be brutally honest, people who attempt to satisfy their need for such relationships at a place like Mudcat make me very nervous." So some people make good friends here, while you like "one-night stands." The type of relationship is different, but it sounds like you're still here for some type of relationship. Have you considered that you're having one-night stands with the same people over and over again?