Never Can Be too Honest

Social Media. It dictates almost everything we do. As a graduate student we are told to that things can never be deleted once we put it on the internet. It will honestly never go away. Any pictures we post and delete...are still somewhere. A status that we put up for a second and have a second thought..still searchable. A blog post that we think no one reads -- still findable.So what can you put on the internet? What is actually safe? Well, it really depends on the perception you want people to have of you.

For me, I'm still trying to figure out what I want. But I do know that I would have issues if I posted about friendships in Florida, my job, or too personal of information about my family. Well, what's left to write about? My personal feelings? Cool, but all of my personal feelings tie into one of those three things.

What are we comfortable with the world knowing? Facebook or Twitter are the greatest outlet for our true emotions. The raw, most honest feelings -- we put those out for the whole world to see. Everyone always says 'honest is the best policy' but have you ever noticed that they are lying? If people are honest on a social media site, they could lose their job or be judged harshly for their words. I can't really blame them. I mean we are hired to be professionals, not whiney children. These sites were created for us to express ourselves.  But we just end up getting ourselves in more trouble. How do we remedy this? Honestly, I have no idea. I don't have any answers. I am continuing to use social media despite what I know. Am I cautious so what I write? Of course, 98% of my true feelings never breech the social media barrier.

I wish so much I could delete Facebook and live my life without it. But, I feel an allegiance to my friends that live across the country and in different countries. I want to know how they are doing as well as have them know how I am doing.  I can't stop reaching out to my friends because I need them in my life. I can't just up and shut down to only what Florida friends have to offer me. I would lose 97% of the people I love just be contact would be limited that much. Not happening.

Well, I guess we live in a world where freedom of speech is encouraged, but can be held against you. Where your photos can be privatized but shared with the world. Where your feelings are your own, but never a secret.

We live in a blessed world but we just need to be a tad more careful how we express ourselves. Fair or not, that's just how the world works.