The Anonymity on this site is getting Ridiculous.
Title says it all.
Was just on a thread asking how much MD's in UK make in RE. All the answers were anonymous, why? Nobody on here except for like 20 people actual know, and why would someone hide their username to answer a silly question like this?
Never understood the point of anonymous posts on an already anonymous forum to begin with. Everyone here already goes by a username that isn't their real name.
It’s because you can click on any profile and see any post or comment they’ve left, which lets people build a profile on who you are. That’s not exactly anonymous.
So maybe this site should eliminate being able to do that and solve that issue
Beyond viewing the comments/posts made, it also displays profile stats (SB, MS) out of context, meaning that it gives a numerical assessment of that user.
Since MS is permanent, it impacts the reputation of a user, permanently, out of context, and implies a negative peer-review/professional assessment by others.
In my opinion, that will need to be changed, as it allows for quality discussion, and key insight, to be wrongfully MS by immature users.
For what purpose would a person go through your history and try to build a profile. Okay, they determine that you worked for Morgan Stanley 5 years ago and then switched to Goldman Sachs. What would do this information?
Who cares?
Don’t say dumb shit online that you wouldn’t say in real life.
I typically post anonymously so if I asked to send someone my resume or a recommendation, they can’t look back on random shit I’ve said in an anonymous forum.
Just got MS but hindsight, I guess I could use burners for sending my resume or revealing identity
Agree, really silly. Anonymous function should be reserved for rare circumstances where you're discussing something that could identify you. It should not be used as a default way of answering any regular question.
Bunch of tough talking keyboard warriors that's why
I mean, I would get that. But it is people opining on really menial/low risk stuff.
I don't agree, we need anonymity to debate serious things like monthly prestige rankings. Posters would get torched at the stake for that unless they're posting anonymously from already anonymous accounts.
I'm just being facetious, I think this double anon thing for stupid shit is the dumbest thing ever.
That is definitely part of it. They could also act like a tough guy under their username and no would know or give a shit about who they are.
I commented on a salary thread once in the RE forum and I guess my story was a bit too specific because a colleague figured out it was me. Word made it around the office, someone complained to the MD they weren't making the same money as me, MD told me to knock it off, yada yada. Sometimes shit can come back to you, and even pseudo-anonymous posting can be connected to real names. Especially if you know MD salaries, I imagine you'd want the extra layer of security.
I mean, yeah. For that stuff you would be annon, but for the rest. WHY?
A good point, and in some cases, a username might be tied to that person (or other projects) in a way that it isn't universally anonymous -- such as a detail about a group, a boss, a project, etc.
In at least a few cases, if you know certain details, and if you know enough people in the industry, you can piece together enough to (mostly) decipher who it might be.
(Consider that many in leadership roles do spy on the online communication of juniors, and gossip flows heavily between firms, so it isn't surprising... Often, just giving us a chuckle, but sometimes it might lead to an in-office conversation, and people tend to ignore that possibility).
I know of a few cases where something was later discussed in a group chat by leadership types. Also, other cases where we might have an idea of who accounts are tied to on the site. People tend to be predictable, and often details can be telling if you know the person -- and/or know enough people around the industry.
Good point, and good example.
In the end the threads are mainly filled with Juniors or wannabye juniors trying to talk a big game or match those that know, but like you and CREMENTOR and Isiah theres very few that actually answer. I think the best was the CRE/CLO vs CMBS conversation. A couple ehhh answers and then bam some person comes in an crushes it.
Can you link that thread you mentioned ? Would be curious to read it. Or if you remember the title I may be able to find it on google
https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/real-estate/difference-between-cm…
MrTranche killed it, almost like a book def but you can tell actually knows and understands the structuring.
I think there might be around 20 people on the site with really solid experience, and the rest tend to be juniors or people (students, interns, etc) who are still hoping/dreaming of a career in finance.
I have long said that many of us would be more than willing to have real discussions, and provide valuable insight; but there doesn't seem to be a real (mature) aim to learn, or receptive willingness to have seniors involved; and most people tend to MS anything that doesn't fit their existing uninformed view. People want an echo chamber, not really insight, and that is the problem.
A senior isn't going to sit here and get insulted by a prospective intern or new hire, and still come back again and again, cheerfully offering his insight. After a few times of getting MS and insulting behavior in response to an attempt to be helpful, our motivation quickly fades.
Overall, this tends to be a large part of the reason that the quality of discussion on WSO has declined in a major way.
If a senior can't genuinely offer an explanation, or try to be helpful, without getting MS (which permanently impacts his reputation on the site, as the out-of-context MS number is permanently displayed on the profile), then I don't see it being productive.
Informal opportunities to gain insight from a senior should be cherished and valued, not discouraged -- they achieved senior level through even more toxic industry conditions (1980s, 1990s), and likely have great insight to help juniors progress.
Unfortunately, too many juniors (and many students) here have an ego of thinking they know everything, while expecting utopia, and are unwilling to consider anything that others tell them; and then, they complain when they somehow don't progress.
If looking closely at the way that quality discussion/response tends to be punished and discouraged lately on WSO, it explains the decline in discussion quality.
As a Mid, I speak to what I know and then read the rest for entertainment, some of it's funny, but rarely do you have deep informative quality explanations like they did when I was coming out of undergrad. I don't, I didn't think about it but definitely see a lot of threads that just pertain to comp also, like it was much more organized or people would do a deep dive on the threads to see about comp. Your right it's all about big ego's and we aren't allowed to knock em down a peg anymore
when have prospects insulted seniors here?
Idea- every account requires a credit card #. There should be no money charged to the #, but once a card has been used, it cannot be used again. That way we can prevent people from having 100 fake accounts and talking to themselves all day long
A lot of paranoid people on this site. If you say don't stupid shit and don’t post your social security number, you should be fine.
I get the anonymity aspect, but I can't post anonymously and I've disclosed a lot of location and other information on here and would prefer to add some more info anonymously, but don't have the option.
agree with that. Happy Eastertide bro!
Bc when you drop comp figures, you get spammed with DMs
You can get doxed fairly easily if you divulge very specific info / puzzle pieces across multiple posts.
There is an easy fix for that: don't give out personal information.
You can get doxxed easily and the threshold for what's "acceptable" changes yearly now. I strongly disagree with this
Just to clarify: Do you mean what's "acceptable" for doxxing; or what's "acceptable" for online conduct?
Online conduct. Also jsut don't want random messages connected to me. I will say candid stuff about my experience etc if anonymous
how much do British MDs make in CRE?
I started using anonymous for highly detailed comments a couple years ago when a buddy of mine texted me a screenshot of my comment and said 'this is you right?' People can piece together information if you give too many details. I began to also randomly change numbers and specific details if not necessary to the story. E.g., saying 100 instead of 112.
Yeah, that is fine.
I use NA too, but sparingly and for sensitive questions or information I am trying to give out.
With too much anonymity then you lose the sense of community, where you know people based on their thoughtful responses, or not.
thankfully you always have thoughtful responses imo
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