I have no personality, so I see no need to change it.

I was just having one of my random thoughts along the lines of… how well someone can really get to know someone just by reading what they write.

Circle Mars and drive until you reach venus

I think you can get to know someone quite well by what they write.
It just takes a lot of reading between the lines.

It's going to depend on how much effort you put into getting to know them. I don't think you're going to get to know someone all that well just by reading forum posts and not chatting outside of the forums. You can get an idea of what they're like, but to actually get to know them, it will take more effort.

At times, reading between the lines harms things more than helps, as some people read things that aren't there. I'd rather just ask someone what they mean, than try to figure out out and assume incorrectly.

Normally I would have agreed with you until I dawned on me that some people do not always say that they feel or mean.

Can you only read between the lines if you assume what a person writes is how they really feel?

A person’s geographical location may be a issue therefore the only way you can get to know them is by what they write and whether what they write is consistent.

That's one of the problems with relying solely on written communication..your brain fills in the gaps and gives it a personality.

I fake it till I make it.

I am kind of honest here.....sometimes.

If I like people, I am completely honest with the cool cats and dolls here. (probably a bit too honest)

But, for the petty douche bags, it ain't gonna do any good to be confrontational and point out thier stupidity so, I either ignore them or vaguely acknowldge thier existance.

......pretty much like real life.

I meant chatting outside of the forums will help to get to know them. I do not feel I really know the people I have only had interaction with in the forums.

Reading between the lines does not mean making assumptions about what
the person means to say. It means reading with a little thought what they do say. Someone may try and hide behind what they are
saying. But the fact that they are saying what they are saying
tells a lot about them.

I guess you make exceptions, because I've seen you get confrontational more than once.

I don't think of it as getting to know the complete person and No, maybe you can't know every nuance of thier soul.

I ain't trying to. I am cool with them till they slip up and get too honest about what a screwed up person that they are deep inside. There are three people just on this thread that I used to like...then, sure enough, they say the wrong damned thing and really mean it. That's it. I ain't gonna waste the time to get to bother knowing someone that is defective to the core. I don't gotta know em. I only need to know them just enough to establish Cool/Douche.

ummm... no...

oh, no wonder i am confused...

42, if you don`t mind, I`ll take your response out of context and consider it a compliment to me.

(You should consider this as a compliment to you.)

Well, that`s just it. You have to know HOW to read between the lines. It takes real skill to read what`s not written (this is the right way), and not to read what`s not written there (which would be the wrong way).

Everybody can read between the lines. But it takes a really good and skilled readerbetweenthelines to read the real stuff that`s been written between the lines.

People think they can read between the lines, but what often happens are incorrect assumptions are made.