(This was the best board I could think of to put this in, orz.)

For most of my life, I have had an obsession with social engineering. If you're not familiar with this, it is the act of attempting to manipulate individuals to gain sensitive information, such as passwords. While I have never used it for illegal means such as this, I have used it for several more petty reasons (call me a perv, but I've gotten some nice pictures out of girls I go to university with that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise.)

Over the years, I have developed an interest in the simple act of it - real-life roleplaying, almost. Developing "pretend" personas to attempt to befriend various people, usually over MySpace or other similar websites.

I have played many different roles, across many races, many cultures, many subcultures, and both genders. (For reference, I am caucasian, male, American, and otaku.)

My own personal life is not lacking, I am not a hikikomori, I simply find this passtime amusing. Every once in a while, I take a step back and think about what a weird guy I am. No one's being harmed by it, however (well, any more, and that's only if you considered the pictures thing harmful.. they didn't seem harmed :p )

I have tried to come up with reasons why I do this. Here is what I have:

1) It stems from a desire to study modern society from as many different angles as possible. By pretending to be a different person, I can fit in with a different part of society, and see its viewpoint.

2) Subconcious feelings of a lacking social life. I have plenty of good friends, but maybe my subconcious thinks I need more. I HAVE made several good friends this way. Well, "I" have. :p

Any input? Am I an awful, manipulative person, or just some asshole with too much free time?