20 May 2001

Hoax

So, it turns out "Kaycee" never existed. "BWG" has posted "his" version of events here. "Debbie" has posted "her" admission here. Who knows if either of their explanations -- or either of them -- are "real." Who really cares at this point?

"Kaycee" was a pretty amazing hoax. I'll admit that I fell for it. People who seemed reputable enough spoke of "talking" to her and "knowing" her. Sure, there were plenty of reasons for a cynic or a skeptic to be suspicious of of her blog, and to question some of the inconsistencies. But most of us didn't. We were fooled. So it goes.

Now we know that "Kaycee's" wonderful sense of life was fictional. Frankly, that makes such a sense of life no less praiseworthy. Not so the hoax and the hoaxsters, which were sick and twisted.

Most of the people who raised doubts about "Kaycee" (on Metafilter and in blogs) inevitably began with "I hope I'm not right, but...." I don't have a problem with that. There are some people, however, who seem HAPPY that such a person wasn't real, but fictional. Within a couple of hours of my posting news of the hoax on my weblog, one of those sorts of people saw fit to post a message to my journal entry noting "Kaycee's" passing. I'm impressed that you saw fit to leave your name as well. Oh wait -- you didn't.

A number of people have already pulled their references to Kaycee from their sites. I'm not going to do that. I post things as they come to me, and I get value from looking back over posts from time to time. I'm sure I'll look back on the whole "Kaycee" affair and wonder how I was duped so easily. But pretending it didn't happen doesn't seem better. And I would rather err in celebrating the greatness in people than not. "Kaycee" was a fake. Greatness doesn't have to be.

* * * *

I have felt horrible all day. I think it was probably the smoke at Rudz last night, which was overwhelming, but I may have come down with a cold. A shame, since I have been SO healthy physically and mentally lately. Happy Birthday to me. Blar.

* * * *

Speaking of Rudz, as we were walking over there last night, Callie and I had an excellent conversation about connections and the ability to make them. I was rather excited still about last night's journal entry, which was written just prior to leaving.

[Posted @ 09:45 PM CST]

COMMENTS

I'm rather sickened by this whole mess.
[Posted by Steph on 20 May 2001, 10:24 PM CST]

i say so what if it was a hoax! so many people took note of their lives and realized that pissing and moaning about inconsequential shit isn't important at all! even if kaycee wasn't the author, there are kaycees out there. my mother was one of them.

but feh and blar to all that anyway! the fact that we have (had, now in texas ;)) a birthday boy is much more important! i'm sorry i wasn't able to say it earlier as we had the kids over today and they hog the computers. i hope you had a super happy birthday!!! with a woman like callie by your side and a pooch like kiwi, i can't see how it was anything but perfect!

love you,
jonni
[Posted by jonelin on 21 May 2001, 01:01 AM CST]

Well I'll be dipped, I won't do that again, yes, I thought she was real, and didn't find out till today that it was a hoax, oh well, that's one of the reasons I tune in to you almost daily, I know you're real. But what did you mean by being HAPPY knowing it was a hoax? I am the guillable one.

Also, and most importantly, I'm just saving the best for last, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!
[Posted by Tonto Jones on 21 May 2001, 11:11 AM CST]

I tried posting something here earlier and now I can't find it, where could it have gone?, the whole Kaycee thing threw me for a bit, but never mind all that, the point was, and still is...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
[Posted by Tonto Jones on 21 May 2001, 11:19 AM CST]

My thoughts on Kaycee:

- I don't feel bad or feel that it reflects poorly on anyone who was "duped". It's irrelevant. As Jonni pointed out, there *are* Kaycees out there. Most likely, they are too busy squeezing as much as they can out of their lives to be yammering about it on a blog. It was nice that someone else was able to put that sense of life into words for me to read. Even if Kaycee wasn't real, the feelings behind the writings have been real for many real people.

- That said, Debbie is truly sick. I'm rather curious as to WHY someone would perpetuate such a thing. The blog itself isn't so surprising (see confession.diaryland.com for another fake diary), but that Debbie talked to people on the phone and sent care packages as Kaycee is *really* disturbing.

- The fact that Kaycee isn't real doesn't change the inspiration any of us got from her blog. Whatever you learned from that is still true.

- Some people have the idea that because they believed and trusted in Kaycee and were duped, that they must now trust other people less. That is just silly. One should always be a little wary, but the fact that there are assholes in the world doesn't negate the fact that there are a lot of wonderful people in it, too.

***

On the "cold" thing, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it's all a reaction to the smoke. I have a lot of relatives who smoke, and every time I got to a large gathering in which the smokers smoke indoors, I have cold symptoms for 3 or 4 days. It *sucks*. I don't go to smoke-filled places much anymore.
[Posted by Evelynne on 21 May 2001, 11:33 AM CST]