The Online People Experiment

"I didn't know they made them like him any more."
-Nial Kent in his novel
"The Divided Path"

I remember attending Sacramento State University in the early 1980s and my English professor required an intensive research 'term paper' of me and my classmates. I had to provide detailed proof of my research using an in-depth survey questionnaire that I had to design, implement, write and re-write. I went about town interviewing people on my subject. The subject I chose was “Friendship Formation”. It was fascinating for me to understand ‘mutuality’. Mutuality, as an example, is when you are walking down the street and a stranger has eye contact or manages a smile your way. This is a form of ‘mutuality’. It means that you connected and that this minor incident had the potential of a friendship forming.

Allow me now to fast forward to the beginnings of the social communications Internet age when I remember my entry and experience into the online social-networking world. I learned of www.MySpace.com. In early 2004 I joined MySpace primarily as a way to communicate effectively with my five nieces and one nephew. They were actively using the MySpace website.

“What a great way to keep tabs and keep in touch with my family and a few select friends,” I thought.
I designed my MySpace profile page with some photos of family, a few movies that I loved like TITANIC, RUN LOLA RUN and DAS EXPERIMENT. I felt comfortable with the site but did NOT allow it to overtake my life (yet).

Being the ‘Gemini Twin’ that I am I have always had a fascination with Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde; The Portrait of Dorian Gray and cult twin movies like Margot Kidder’s “SISTERS” or “TWIN FALLS IDAHO”. I thought up an idea for a psychological cyber-experiment to create a second identity on MySpace.

I was enamored and impressed by some portraits I stumbled upon of a male French model in the annual “Dieux du Stade” 2004 calendar.

The term ‘Dieux du Stade’ translated in English is Gods of the Stadium. The highly popular calendar was first published in 2001, featuring photographs of members of the Stade Francais, a domestic French rugby team. In more recent years, players from other rugby union clubs and athletes from other sports have also been included. I took notice of former Mister France 2003 (Frederic Deltour) in the 2004 calendar and decided to use his image as my ‘second identity’ in my very own O.P.E. (Online People Experiment).

I chose this photo of Frederic and became him ‘in a cyber sort of way’. You have to admit that he’s the perfect “Ken Doll” type. I wondered how people would react to him and what they would say, how they would make conversation.

I suddenly had about 120 friends that I had never met face-to-face. They sent me private messages and wanted to see more photos of me (Frederic). I replied as myself but they thought I was really Frederic. I even included my “real” self as one of his friends.

One fellow, Chad (a hairstylist) in Texas sent me shampoo samples, gel, conditioners, mousse and other hair care products. I had spread a ‘white lie’ as Frederic, saying that he was coming to Los Angeles to see his good friend (me). Chad sent these products to my address in Los Angeles.

Another fellow drew a sketch of Frederic that was utterly amazing. I still have it. It's an amazing likeness and I plan to give it to Frederic eventually.

Another fan who was a registered nurse was “so-in-love” with Frederic that she kept hoping he would come to visit her in San Diego. The women all loved Frederic, flirting and asking about life in Paris. It did not matter which gender was infatuated with Frederic as all of them were hopeful to meet him one day.

I spent my weekends replying to most of the messages in a cordial and friendly way. I realized after a few months that it was getting out of hand. My partner thought I was ‘crazy’. Of course, I kept explaining that it was my very own psychological study of people out there that are infatuated with the Internet and social-networking. I started to feel deceitful and realized it had to come to an end. I beleive I had learned enough.

In order to remedy the matter I did some web ‘soul searching’ and miraculously found an authentic email address to the “real” Frederic. He replied back to me! I tried to explain to Frederic what I had done and how he has a major fan base here in the USA. I wanted him to take over the reins of this MySpace account; however, he never did so. He was too busy with modeling assignments and other goings on. His language skills in English were also somewhat limited at the time. I finally ended up deleting the MySpace account (much to the sadness of his many deceived fans). I am sure I unintentionally broke a few hearts.

I learned a number of lessons but there are a few significant ones:
Many people are infatuated with looks (without really knowing a personality).
Some people are ‘true to the heart’ and it is never good to continue the act of deception.
I am glad I did the study and did not prolong it.
The die-hards were told the truth. A few of them remain my friend to this day.

The beautiful benefit is that several years have passed and my friendship with Frederic has grown and continues to this day. We communicate ‘off and on’ via email.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog when I share my recent meeting with Frederic in Paris, France.

Twenty-five years ago today:

Monday,
June 11, 1984

I slept until 8AM or so. I had extra time. I had a special trial study ‘Business Service Center’ San Francisco event to attend at 10AM. I met Barbara Reynolds there. The test was a cinch (even though we did not finish all of the questions). The primary score was based on the research we completed. And so, it was no “big deal”.

Barbara and I had lunch on Market Street on some public steps near the Hyatt Regency Hotel. I got a few random looks. Was it the white leather tie that I was wearing?


Barbara and I went to visit our future ‘Business Service Center’ workplace. It seemed like such a large environment with so many service representatives and account managers. We both took BART back to Downtown Oakland and had a 3PM meeting. We only had to take customer calls from 4pm to 5pm. What a freebie day.

I intended on a good bike ride after work but I ate leftover chicken and felt lazy. I would lie down for a while and soon decided to give Frank Vasconcellos a phone call. His line was busy. I left with a roll of film that needed developing. A lot of my prints came out so good. I was so proud. I was especially proud of my niece, Ashley, the perfect model.

I bought about four or five cassette tapes. I also bought a bicycle photo frame that I thought was fun. I bought a neat greeting card of two unicycles that merged to make a double bicycle. The copy in the card stressed “an extraordinary friendship”. I am unsure as to whom I will give this card. Or do I know who exactly deserves it? Yes.

In fact, I did telephone Chris Cordellos today at about 2:30PM. He was sleeping. His break was supposed to be over at 2PM, so I guess I called at the appropriate time. Chris announced that he is coming to the Bay Area once again (on Thursday). I get the honors of picking him up at the airport. Lucky me! Too bad I won’t be ‘moving in’ to the Solomon Lane townhouse yet.

Tony took John’s Residence Telephone Order ‘New Connect’ at the office today. The new telephone service on Cook Lane will be effective this Friday.
“I’m not moving in until next Tuesday, June 19th though,” John said.
And so…that’s “drag” news for me if you want to know the truth.

I took another BIKE L.A. 1984 Print poster to get framed along with mom’s print of the ‘Bowl of Fruit’ that she likes for her kitchen. The framed works will not be ready until Saturday because their protective covering machine is broken (at The Frame Store). And so…that’s another “drag”, but all is well otherwise.

Tonight I watched a 1981-television movie called “Angel Dusted” about a college kid that had a nervous breakdown because he was on PCP drugs, etc.
http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie/angel-dusted/?
It reminded me of me (in parts) despite the fact that while I was in college I took “NO” drugs whatsoever. When I was in college I was in a depressive state over failed relationships, loneliness and school grade pressures. I am so HAPPY now. I have such special friends like Barbara Reynolds, Salima Nasardeen-Hamilton, Suzy Miller, Michael Miller, Frank Vasconcellos and my extraordinary ‘one in a million pal’, Christopher.