Why Anonymous?

 

Why Anonymous?

 

By:  Fiona Saiter

 

 

Why do people write anonymous words?  Don’t they want credit for things they are so passionate about?  I don’t really understand.  It seems if a person is so passionate about a subject they would be happy to write their name to their thoughts, so why are so many things written anonymously?

 

I just received an anonymous letter letting me know just what the person thought.  All I could think is where was the courage?  Why didn’t they sign their name?  To me it makes all the words worth nothing when an upset person writes a letter and doesn’t sign their name. 

 

According to Wikipedia encyclopedia anonymous is from the Greek word anōnumos meaning “without a name” or nameless.” 

 

People sometimes choose to be known as anonymous or sometimes an author becomes unknown over time, especially in quotes.  Wikpedia says this often happens with quotes.  One example of a quote losing the author over time is the quote, “Ignorance is Bliss.”  This is a quote most of us have heard at one time but the author was once known and is now unknown.

 

Want to know some other anonymous quotes either by choice or because the authors information has been lost.

 

According to Quotes.net here are some anonymous quotes you may have heard before or ones that I liked:

 

“You add insult to injury

Silence is one great art of conversation

Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell

No one is listening until you make a mistake

Great minds think alike

Enjoy life. There's plenty of time to be dead

Dare to be wise”

 

If someone wants to remain anonymous they can use a pseudonym or made up name.  Pseudonyms are often used by writers, terrorists, graffiti artists, hackers, musicians, actors and other performers, according to Wikipedia.

 

Other anonymous names which we hear are John Doe or Jane Doe.  When someone is unknown or in some legal cases these names are used.

 

John Doe is thought to have begun as early as 1659 in England and maybe even as early as King Richard III, according to Wikipedia.

 

One famous and controversial legal case where Jane Doe was used was in the Roe Verses Wade United States Supreme Court abortion case of 1973.  Norma McCorvey was later revealed as the Jane Doe in that case. 

 

Also a woman used Jane Doe to protect herself when she was in a court battle with police after she was raped and it was found out that she was being used as bait for a rapist.  She won the case after 11 years and later wrote a book, “The Story of Jane Doe,” states Wikipedia.  People are anonymous when someone is in a court battle and protecting themselves in famous cases

 

Another example of anonymous is when a soldier dies in battle and their identity can’t be verified.  Often the soldier is buried in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

 

Anonymous names are used when people want to hide who they are either for legitimate reasons, crime, charity, or simple because someone is not able to stand up for what they have to say.  When it is needed for legitimate reasons anonymous can be a great tool.