Personal Thoughts In A Connected World

I am a child of the sixties and seventies, meaning that while I have embraced technology and social media. I grew up in the age when all the average family had was one phone on the kitchen wall and social media was when you and your friends got together at the Tastee Freeze. My kids on the other hand have had computers and Internet access since before preschool and will answer a text from me much faster than a phone call. 

Since the explosion of social media, any controversial comment or thought that may have stayed among friends, can now be seen instantly seen across the world. Leading to ruined reputations, loss of friends, alienation from your family, losing of a job, or worse. 

Now I could sit here and say, be careful how you word professional and private communications on the Internet, just ask Mrs. Clinton. If anyone remembers Business English class, you know that was sage advice given to you by that cranky English Teacher (A note to all teachers out there, please do not send angry emails.) . 

This begs me to question, has social media made us so sensitive and politically correct that even the stupidest random thought can get you branded? Or through social media are we discovering some uncomfortable things about ourselves that truly need correcting? 

I will be the first to admit I say some very unpolitically correct things a lot of the time. (Which my family would wholeheartedly agree.) But for the most part I refrain from posting those types of comments online. Here I could ask myself, does this make me a bigot, sexist, or racist? I would hope that it doesn't. Because for the most part, when I say these things I'm playing the role of a bigot, sexist, or racist, to vocalise the true absurdity of those statements. I guess I could say it's my way of processing the stupidity I witness nearly every day. 

But getting back to the world of social media, I try to be careful when I use this logic in my social conversations. For the most part, those that know me personally realise what I'm saying is in jest or a social commentary. But still as social media has shown us, not everyone makes these statements as a joke or social satire. They really believe what they're saying.

In places like online comment sections or on popular social media sites like Facebook there are many individuals that either don't have filters and/or they truly believe the crazy they are saying. When I read some of these posts, from my friends and family no less, I usually cringe and hit the don't want the see this button. You may ask, why not Unfriend does repeat offenders? Well that goes back to a blog I wrote called You Can Choose Your Friends, But. In other words, do you really want to unfriend crazy old Uncle Bob? 

The thought I want get across is, online posting can be a slippery slope. Rather you say something as a joke or not, those words can come home to bite you personally and professionally. The best advice I can give is know your audience. I personally try to keep my Facebook account for personal use and other social outlets like LinkedIn for business. You may ask does this work perfectly, and I'll say no. But when presenting yourself as a professional also present yourself as being real. In other words, if you screw-up admit the mistake, correct it, and then move on.