Social media has made it way too easy to share everything – every thought, every idea, every frustration. If you know me and I am being transparent, you are probably fine with the information because you are already aware of what I am thinking about through relationship. But if you don’t know me, my personality, my style, then you may be turned off and tuned out. So on one hand, transparency is great. On the other, it is a hindrance.
So how much is too much? Wrestling with this lately, I have begun forming my own thoughts on this and wonder what your thoughts are. Here are some initial thoughts I have.
- Be transparent about some of the dreams and aspirations
- Don’t be transparent about the people I am frustrated with
- Be transparent about theological issues I am wrestling with
- Don’t be transparent about people who differ with me theologically
- Do be transparent about those things I would like to see changed from a social or moral standpoint
- Don’t be transparent about my personal pet peeves if writing for an organization or corporate blog
- Do be transparent about the virtues I see in others and want to celebrate those virtues
- Don’t be transparent about the flaws I see in others and want to exploit them
Writing this, I bet I have done the complete opposite. But I can see the immense value in adopting some of these guidelines. What about you? What are your guidelines?
pic by lungcookie
June 11th, 2009 at 6:06 am
Tony, these are really good. It strikes me as a social media application of Psalm 15, especially verse 3: In answer to verse 1's "LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?" verse 3 answers, "[He who] has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman."