Well, if you yelled "down with government" on a street in North Korea you wouldn't be anonymous for long. If you yelled "f*ck the police" in the hearing range of an American cop you'd probably be identified and harassed. What's at stake is a social compact that we respect free speech and privacy. Real name policies violate that from the outset. Of course, it keeps comment sections civil but you don't go to a random bar with a sticker stating your full name and address. But that doesn't make the interactions any less meaningful. It's not so much the anonymity but being able to keep a relaxed distance from being judged for what you say or who you are.
