Detail from Hieronymus Bosch’s “The Carrying of the Cross.” Photo by Louis DeBussy

“Ain’t nothin’ like the real thing, Baby…”  – Marvin Gaye

As you may have noticed, I am writing this blog under my real name.  It was not a difficult decision for me to take, but if you’re curious or if you’re considering launching your own blog, I’ll tell you why I choose to forego the anonymity of the internet.

1) It’s too important.
If I expect you to read, subscribe to and put what I write into practice it’s only fair that I declare my biases and own my opinions.  You are then free to judge the value of what I offer against the larger context of my life.

2)  I believe in this issue, and am willing to speak forthrightly.
Look, I’m a busy man.  If seeing Millennial  men embrace thriving, authentic masculinity were not a priority for me, I have no shortage of things to do with my time.  Clearly, encouraging and motivating you to be the best version of yourself is part of my calling.  You deserve to hear about this from someone who’ll shoot straight with you.

3)  Not using an alias forces me to count the cost and consider my words.
I am not a hermit, nor am I independently wealthy.  Through my work, my art and my responsibilities in church and elsewhere, I am not my own.  It would be foolish to try to live a double life, indulging in private adventures, saying reckless things and putting any of the organizations I’m affiliated with in a bad light.  I’m able to say what I have to say in a way that won’t offend your grandma.  She may not agree with me; she may correct my grammar; but she won’t complain about the way I express my ideas. Plus, it’s totally safe for work.

4)  There are plenty of impostors, posers and fakes.
I like the Peter Steiner cartoon that shows two dogs in front of a computer monitor where one says to the other, “On the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” Profile pictures are photoshopped.  Credentials are inflated.  And we’ve all heard — or heard of — the the Internet Tough Guy (ITG) who will say anything but can’t be found to back it up.  I’m striving to be the man God intended me to be.  I can’t do that behind a pseudonym.

5) Some people enjoy the sport of “outing” anonymous bloggers.  I choose not to play.
I cut out the middleman and pass the savings on to you.

6) In order to force myself to keep this up.  There’s no one to blame but me if I fail.
A friend of mine said it this way: “Telling a friend your goals caulks up your plans.”  I have enough pride not to want to fail publicly, so by launching this blog in this way I am making myself accountable to continue to think, write and post.  Ideally, you’ll be the beneficiary.

Please note: I don’t mind if you want to comment anonymously, or if you or anyone else blogs under a pen name.  Some worthwhile ideas might not get expressed otherwise.  That just isn’t for me — I’m on a mission from God.

So how about you?  In what ways are you striving to be authentic?  Add your comments below.