"Even if people are showing their true selves, we're only seeing a small piece of it."
Very true. We can only see the self they display, which could be fabricated for our sakes, or even their own from false beliefs of their own character. Even avatar choice affects how to respond to the words posted here.
We can't even see where areas contradict the truth in the same ways you could in a real conversation. Even something small like a stutter could affect how someone is perceived, an aspect of their true selves that doesn't have to be faced in this format.
I guess that's true to some extent. It can be an effort to try and be honest. I suppose if people were honest enough that they wouldn't be bothered much by having their identities exposed things would be better. Then it also begs the question of how honest people are outside this forum I guess.