How do you know...?

How do you know if you really know someone?
Or maybe the question should be -- How do you know if the someone you know is really the person you think they are?

Most of the people that read this blog have some first-hand knowledge of who I am. Many do not.
Some of you are friends from my past and know a John that no longer exists. Some of you know me from a single, narrow, perspective (controller, co-worker, preacher, volunteer, smartass, etc.).
If you only know me from my blog, can you really say that you know me?

The internet is a place where you can really create an alternate version of yourself. A simple Facebook or Twitter account can be the exact opposite of who we really are. I think for many people, it is social media that allows us to be who we really are and our IRL (in real life) person is the one that is fake.

IRL we act like we have it all together and are a super good human. But behind our keyboards sit some very mean, judgmental, and uncaring assholes. We put on nice clothes, and make-up to be seen in public, but inside are old, worn out ideas, generalizations, stereotypes, and not nice people that seem to boldly show themselves in the false anonymity of the virtual world.

 I think that I am pretty much me, whether you know me IRL or just from my social media platforms, 
But...
I also think the IRL me is more likely to filter out the more ugly aspects of my personality than the virtual me.

I am generally untrusting of people--openminded, but initially wary. As I've become more contemplative, I've become more aware of the energy or vibe that people put out. I seem to have many of the characteristics of an empath, but I don't care to be one. It's a little weird to find that spiritual kind of energy connection when you meet people. There s a reason that we portray light as good and dark as evil.

I know that I still struggle to keep Ugly John locked away in the dungeon recesses of my persona. I imagine that others have their own similar alter egos they struggle with. The John that you get to see has gotten stronger and has more control. For some people, it's the ugly ego that has control and the nice person that has to fight to get out.

I know it's a weird kind of rant this morning. 
It was inspired because last night I met the IRL version of a person that I've been "friends" with on Facebook for sometime. And yeah, the energy signature matched up well with the virtual vibe. It didn't feel like we were meeting for the first time. I felt like a knew someone that I had never met before.
And that's a little weird.

John