Until it was brought up, I had no idea of his age. But then, age means so little today. I know 18 year olds who are totally clueless, and 12 year olds who've got a solid grip on reality.
Then there's the problem of how old someone is, against how old they say they are. I'm certainly not gonna lose any sleep trying to analyse someone's posting technique to see if they're really who and what they say they are. S4 admits he posts as Bubba. Does he post any different from one persona to the other? I know that any time I've made a second user, it's been to post as a different person. The odds of anyone spotting that it's the same person at the keyboard are miniscule, because while I'm posting as that second person, I'm not Professur. I don't think, react, or even type the same way. I don't even have the same accent. Anyone fleuently bilingual does the same. To be fleuent, you have to think in the second language. Posting as a second user is just an extension of the same talent.
Hence, I treat every user as an individual until they tell me they're the same person. I also treat every individual as is they're lying to me with every post. I also treat every individual as is they really believe they're telling me the truth.
)
This topic is really eating at me... I admit to being one who has been less than gentle with Altron. I believe I was also the first to mention my discomfort when members were entertaining his fantasies with weapons of destruction. I was, perhaps, overtaken by disrespect for him once he actually threatened bodily harm if we didn't explain ourselves....That, coupled with the inconsistencies of his projected intelligence, gave rise to some of the doubts and suspicions that others have expressed here. I believe, now, that he is infact 13. And I believe he is from where he says. I live in that area and as I've stated, he answered my question correctly. My problem now is that, even though, by his own admission (on several occassions), he would be in "big trouble if his parents found out he was here", we are still entertaining his fantasies. Anyone who has parented children, and most who haven't, will understand that Spirit's concerns are sincere and legitimate. I have had to rethink my own actions because of that. I apologize to Altron for being less than proper in dealing with him. That said, I for one, will not participate in threads discussing weaponry, or answers to sexuallly explicit questions on his behalf. I think the level of adult themes and humor here at OTC are beyond him and I can't, with clear conscience, discuss that stuff with him...Especially knowing that it would be against his parent's wishes.
