RSS Subscriptionyour blog is not your diary
Accepting the fact that we are building an extension of our society on the World Wide Web, I think it’s important to remember that the same social rules should apply. When I meet you on the street, I don’t give you a fake name when I shake your hand. If I’m spoken to (and I actually hear what is said) I try to respond. I keep rude thoughts to myself. There aren’t any ready-to-share racy photos of me handy in my purse. And? I damn well don’t publicize my personal problems for all to read.
Here is what I’m getting at: It is HIGHLY inappropriate to blog, tweet, update your FaceBook status or Whatever with statements or woe-is-mes about troubles you are having with your loved ones.
When I have a disagreement with Jed, I don’t walk out my front door and shout “My husband made me CRY!” for all to hear.
Tacky. Not to mention damaging to the relationship.
So, dear internet friends, I apologize that you will not get to read any juicy family gossip on this here blog. That’s because my parents taught me to respect my loved ones’ privacy and to RESPECT MYSELF by keeping Certain matters private. Meaning, between me and that Certain person. I do so in “real life” and thus I do so on the internet.
A suggestion: Next time you type something in the box that gives you pause, before clicking “Publish” consider the good old-fashioned paper version. Diaries can be burned. Blogs are archived. If you say it on the internet, you CANNOT TAKE IT BACK. Humiliation and betrayal are very real, whether done over digital or analog channels.
Tags: blogging, internet, privacy, relationships
March 17th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Hear, hear!
March 17th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Alright, no more mocking my wack job family on the internet. Do I have to scour the internet for agualadie posts from years ago…. may a little sister bashing from the typepad days???
March 17th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Hah! We live and learn, my friend
You can keep talking about your family on the internet because all of your stories are HILARIOUS.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Word!
March 18th, 2009 at 11:52 am
I thought that’s what LiveJournal was for – being angsty there so you could be less angsty elsewhere.
March 18th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Yes, excellent post! I propose we establish an Internet Etiquette School to outline proper behavior and practices. Perhaps the Principle could be a stern lady resembling a Catholic Nun ready to discipline would be abusers by administering a swift MacBook Pro to the knuckles!
March 18th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Fun point that what you say online is stickier then what you say or do in the non-virtual world.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:37 am
Well said. Love you
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:11 am
i agree that blogging is like any social endeavor where norms and consideration for others is a good idea. i do feel its beneficial to share as much as comfortably possible. i consider my blog my diary – keeping in mind that everyone i know can potentially read it. i have once retracted a statement in my blog because someone didn’t like it.
its the honesty and sharing that makes blogs interesting. riding the line of disclosure and consideration is what making blogging an especially human activity. i think the part you’re getting at is talking about others, which i think is where one has to be the most careful. talking about myself, for instance i just started psychotherapy, i feel has lots of leeway. like the unconference “law of two feet”, stop reading if the content isn’t interesting.
March 28th, 2009 at 10:22 am
I’m LOVING all of the conversation. LookSomethingShiny.com is 50% about my reader and 50% about me, so I try to think about what people want to read when I write a post. Thank you all for the support, and for helping me see that my kind of blogging isn’t the only kind of blogging out there.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Amen to that sister! I completely agree that we should respect each other especially our husbands.
September 24th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Thank God there are still some decent sanctuaries left for internet privacy havens. You don’t have to be doing anything shady or crazy to simply want your privacy back.