In this day and age, you have to establish SOME sort of online presence. Arguably, staying off the grid entirely sends negative message to friends, employers, and new people you meet. But defining your online presence is a tricky thing. How much do you share? How personal do you get? What is appropriate?
Some people put everything online. Every event, every move, every thought is dutifully recorded on a blog or in a Facebook status update or in a tweet. Many people have taken to sharing what they just had for breakfast or how their drive in to work was. To me, that’s annoying, but I’m afraid it has accepted and normal to the Internet public.
There are those who have to broadcast their opinion about everything that happens in the world. They have a stance on everything, even if it is impulsive and uneducated. They need to shut up.
And there are the people who talk about their stomach virus or their shitty co-workers or how someone cheated on them or how hard it was for them to put their dog down. There’s definitely a lot of gray as to what’s appropriate to tell the world, and it’s not right for me to set draw the line for everyone. Everyone’s got their own boundaries, but I think that some things are best kept private.
How much do you have to censor for your partner or people you’ve just met? What about your boss or future employers? Do you want them to have such a head start on you? With everyone’s business and opinions posted online, are the old-fashioned days of having to talk to someone to get to know them really gone forever?
Be present, but be discriminating with your content. Share and discuss important, worthwhile, interesting things. Increase your value to present and future friends, partners, and co-workers. Cut down on some of the noise, and everyone will like you more.
In December 2012, I decided to organize some of my old stories, letters, conversations, and philosophical ramblings and put together this blog. I’ve taken some chances with the content, and I hope I’m not exposing too much…
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