Social Media, Tool or Toy

Social Media, is it a tool or a toy?

I am just like the next person, I get frustrated and irritated; annoyed and emotional.  Sometimes I just want to blow up and write my emotions on a public forum for everyone to read.  I read political posts that I feel are shallow and misguided or personal posts that are small and selfish, and I itch to write a rebuttal.  The question is this, “should you post personal statements on your personal wall when you have a separate business page?”

I have many business page followers that are my personal friends and they see what I write, sometimes they even share it.  I share things too, but I am very careful on what I choose to post.  There is a reason that my facebook page isn’t as brilliant as I am in person.

One, Facebook posts are two dimensional.  Your voice inflection isn’t represented so people put their own mental spin on what you sound like.  Depending on their frame of mind or how they feel about you, they can mis-interpret your intention.  Two, You can end up starting an argument that you had no intention of creating. Arguments end up developing a life of their own and as one of my friends noticed, live years to pop up when you least expect or want it.  Which leads me to…  Three, Once it is out there on the net; it lives forever.  Facebook is so kind to share your memories on your news feed, isn’t that sweet of them?

At one point in my life, I was a nail technician.  People would hold hands with me for an hour and half and share the most intimate details of their life.  It amazes me that something so impersonal as facebook can create the same illusion of intimacy as breaking the physical touch barrier.  When you start a business, and you have a facebook page; everything you shared on your personal page will be exposed sooner or later.

I live my life cybernetically like a southern woman, don’t post it or write anything where it can be found.  If you are going to say it, do it directly into someone’s physical ear.  Publicly, always put your best powdered foot forward and keep your wrinkles of dismay hidden beneath a smooth polished exterior.  My Grandmother Dottie gave me 2 pieces of advice when I went to college.  “Don’t ever sign anything you don’t want anyone to find, and always have a safe exit.”  If you are going to post anything personal, be classy and keep it clean.  I try to do that, most of the time but remember; I am much more brilliant in person.