Third Person Mentality or Third Person Mental?

We have all had the chance to experience the third person mentality that is Plurk. Most people here tend to speak in third person because of the verb qualifiers that have been implemented into this social network. Now that brings about a great question.

How much is too much?

Talking about yourself in third person is not something we usually do in everyday life. We have been taught that its first person for yourself, and third person for speaking about others. Typically this is what most people know as right, but is it really so wrong to speak about yourself in third person? For instance, If I go to the grocery store and say, “Charles wants to know where the apples are?” Would people look at you crazy? Of course they would. The will probably be thinking, “What planet is he from?” or “Is he mental?”.

Plurk Writing

When writing on Plurk, you have a tendancy to think about what you need to say before you write it. Do this throughout several threads a day, and eventually you will start thinking like this at odd moments while doing something as simple as getting some food from the fridge. Soon enough you will let your first “third person speak” slip right out of your mouth without even thinking. Avid Plurkers know this possibility all too well. I guarantee if you ask someone who has been Plurking for a month or more they will tell you they have either thought or spoke in third person recently while not on Plurk.

But are we mental?

I think not. We are a product of our enviroment. Just like when you start hanging out in a place with a different accent you will eventually pick up that accent in your speech. Third person is nothing more than a sign that we are plurkers. It is a sign that we stand up for our social network and our little corner of the internet. So the next time you find yourself talking or thinking in third person just tell yourself, “I am PROUD to be a Plurker!”.

Filed under: Pleeps