Jeddah Exhibition…Psychological and social dimensions behind the phenomenon of “pseudonyms”

The 2024 Jeddah Book Fair shed light on the phenomenon of pseudonyms in Saudi literature, through a symposium entitled “The Culture of Pseudonyms.”
Participants discussed the cultural, social and psychological dimensions of this phenomenon, which has always aroused curiosity and interest in literary circles.

The difference between a nickname and a pseudonym

Dr. began. Muhammad Al-Mashouh spoke by clarifying the difference between a nickname and a pseudonym, as he pointed out that the nickname is given to a person by others, while the pseudonym is chosen by the person himself.
He explained that “borrowed” means lending, and reflects the individual’s desire to express himself without revealing his identity.
He pointed out that poets were the first to resort to using pseudonyms, as they wanted to express their feelings freely, away from the restrictions of their personal identities.

Al-Mashouh touched on the spread of pseudonyms on social media sites at the present time, and considered this a psychological phenomenon that has not been studied seriously enough yet.
He pointed out that some legal figures, including ministers, have resorted to pseudonyms to safely discuss sensitive social issues.

An eternal phenomenon that exists globally

Poet Abdullah Al-Ghabin emphasized that the use of pseudonyms is not limited to Arab culture, but rather is an eternal phenomenon that exists globally.
He reviewed prominent Saudi literary figures who wrote under pseudonyms, indicating that pseudonyms sometimes reflect character completely different from the personalities of their owners.
Al-Ghubain pointed out the phenomenon of using more than one pseudonym, indicating that this may stem from psychological motives or a type of narcissism, while some people choose to combine writing under their real and pseudonym.

Jeddah Book Fair

The Jeddah Book Fair is the third stop in the series of book fairs organized by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Authority for the year 2024, after the success of the Riyadh and Medina exhibitions.
This year, the exhibition will be held from December 12 to 21, and is open to visitors daily from 11 am to 12 midnight, except for Friday, when visitors begin at 2 pm.