I feel a large part of why people don't reveal their true identity on forums, online games, or the internet in general is that they no longer wish to be themselves after a day at work, classes, etc., and I think it's a large part of why forums and online games are so popular. When Erik Lawrence comes back from a string of exams, he doesn't want to be Erik Lawrence that evening; he wants to be Shado_Temple, the Huntsman Sniper. This form of escapism is what brought all of us here (videogames), and is why we would like to take on a different persona than that of which we use in real life. It provides the average person with a sense of renewed confidence; that they can be accepted for reasons other than those people normally judge upon in daily life.