Reaction to Rheingold

I understand why people are captivated by the idea of creating another identity in cyberspace that is completely different from their own.  The real world, and the challenges and struggles of actual life, can make a person feel like he or she does not have any control over his or her life.  Therefore, having another identity in a world where life seems much more controllable must be very appealing.  I think that having such an outlet can be beneficial to a person, but too much of anything will lead to negative consequences.  What's the line between a hobby and an obsession?  I think the issue that has arisen from this booming internet culture of self created identities is what is the appropriate way to interact with people.  Are we losing interpersonal skills or gaining them?  I think it could be argued either way, but personally, I prefer to interact with people live, face to face, as myself, not as a figure I created in front of a computer screen.  If online self created identities are what lay ahead in the future, then I think we must strike a balance between talking to people face to face, and online.