<p>Because the vast majority of stalkers are NOT 50 year olds sexually interested in you...</p>
<p>Most of them are just probably curious about you. After all - people ARE naturally curious and stalking IS simply the easiest way to get to know a person. You can't talk to everyone and you're not compatible with everyone. So then stalking is sometimes the ONLY way to learn about someone. </p>
<p>For the record, I google people's names, save their blogs to my hard drive (20 years from now it's going to be the only way that I have a reference to how people seemed to act like in the past), view their posting history on whatever forum they go to, and join their networks with fake profiles so that I can look at their facebook profiles. It's non-selective - I've done this to over 30 people by now. It's just that I'm curious - that's all. And it's amazing how much I've learned about other people (or about their interactions with their institutions) through it. </p>
<p>That's why I'm extremely open to letting people stalk me. It just seems like it's the rational thing to do.</p>
<p>No. Unless you have some sort of social defect, actually talking to people is a much easier way of getting to know someone than stalking them over the Internet. You can learn so much more about people when they're actually giving you information freely and you can ask for specific bits you're interested in.</p>
<p>It's good that you want to learn about people. It'll make it that much easier to hold a conversation with someone you're interested in, because people really do love to talk about themselves. But most stalkers are creepily awkward and obsessive (or they'd be finding better uses of their time than clinging to a one-sided nonexistent relationship). So stalking usually turns people off.</p>
<p>P.S. Don't flatter yourself by thinking people will stalk you unless you have some preexisting relationship with them.</p>
<p>P.P.S. You know you wouldn't have found out as much about me if you hadn't actually tried to interact with me. You should actually talk to people. It's fun sometimes. And would really make you a better person.</p>
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No. Unless you have some sort of social defect, actually talking to people is a much easier way of getting to know someone than stalking them over the Internet. You can learn so much more about people when they're actually giving you information freely and you can ask for specific bits you're interested in.
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<p>It's really contextual. It's easier to learn about <em>some</em> people by talking to them. But when it comes to <em>other</em> people, it's much easier to learn about them by stalking them. It all depends on mutual compatibility. And such. It's pretty simple: there are people I respect/admire who strongly dislike me (or who have strong potential for such). So the only way I can learn about them is to either (a) use fake accounts or (b) stalk them. </p>
<p>(also from what I've noticed there really is little info you can gain out of a 1 hour AIM chat - oftentimes it takes hours and hours to really get to know a person well through chats. But 1 hour of stalking can help you learn a huge amount about a person - like i learned about that one kid). Oh and he's really busy too. </p>
<p>So in short if I'm sure about compatibility I'll talk. If I'm sure the other person won't respect me I'll stalk. </p>
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<p>It's good that you want to learn about people. It'll make it that much easier to hold a conversation with someone you're interested in, because people really do love to talk about themselves. But most stalkers are creepily awkward and obsessive (or they'd be finding better uses of their time than clinging to a one-sided nonexistent relationship). So stalking usually turns people off.
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<p>But that is a good point - stalking itself is not necessarily bad, but people who rely too much on stalking are seen to be socially deficient. </p>
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<p>P.S. Don't flatter yourself by thinking people will stalk you unless you have some preexisting relationship with them.
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<p>it's rare. but it just happened :p</p>
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P.P.S. You know you wouldn't have found out as much about me if you hadn't actually tried to interact with me. You should actually talk to people. It's fun sometimes. And would really make you a better person.
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<p>I know. :) But you were far more receptive than other people are. (much more so). Besides I had to stalk you for a few weeks before I messaged you. :p</p>
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But that is a good point - stalking itself is not necessarily bad, but people who rely too much on stalking are seen to be socially deficient.
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<p>And all the stalkers I've ever met (read: one) have been socially deficient.</p>
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So the only way I can learn about them is to either (a) use fake accounts or (b) stalk them.
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<p>(c) develop social skills
(d) talk to them and similar people all you want</p>
<p>Seriously. It's worth it and will make you a happier person.</p>
<p>I know, I'm really eager to develop social skills now. Kind of. I was just really emo/angry over the last two years which forced me to avoid people. But I think I'm getting better now... and I should do something about it.</p>
<p>What if colleges "stalks" students in CC to gauge thm...that is my worst fear lately (:
I don't "hang out" with cc people online though n offline so I don't bother with the rest of the stuff being talked bout here. I pretty much think this is a place for asking academic n college stuff n yeah the regular arguing I guess, so that is it. Respect everyone's boundaries and not like we are here to make friends. This ain't LJ, facebook, etc.
Yeah, n doesn't mean u can stalk people in LJ either. Please don't :)
There is just too much stress now as it is with college admissions . Where does all this free time come from ?
If anyone has experience with "college stalking" u down here though, I want to know! I am worried bout tht.</p>
<p>well people are generally self-conscious, and a stalker is constantly analyzing their object of obsession, so.. people probably instinctively respond with disapproval (if not, society drills it in to them)</p>
<p>i stalk my limerent object pretty heavily through the internet. doesn't hurt anyone :D</p>