Lately I've been taking stock of the whole notion of "Sharing". Social networking relies on it, reality television would not exist without it, and YouTube wouldn't be nearly half as entertaining.
But while new forms of media have enabled us to share just about anything at a whim, it raises questions as to the whole dynamic of the concept of 'sharing'.
Learning to share is one of the steps in the development of children, a basis to the formation of relationships and both their social and cognitive evolution. As children, we all had to learn how to share our toys without gouging out the eyes of anyone who dared touch our most prized Barney or Barbie.
The emergence of civilisation itself has relied on our acceptance that we must share in order to survive in both a physical and metaphysical sense. From basic resources such as food and fire, land and shelter to things more complex - goals, ideas, principles, passions - human beings have had to learn to share in order to create and maintain mutually beneficial relationships.
In the process, sharing enables us to seek out which birds are of the same feather until we form tribes, clans, social groups, organisations, and so find our sense of place in the world.
But these days, the concept of sharing has become that much more complicated as new forms of media have challenged us to question how, what and why we share.
Social media, in particular, has made the demand for sharing both immediate and ad hoc without always allowing us the time or opportunity to filter our thought processes. After all, the keyboard is just at our fingertips!
The result is that many people are pushed to make poor decisions as to just what they ought to share - by whatever means - Facebook, Twitter, MSN or daily texting.
Should it be that idea or this opinion or that personal fact?
Many of us struggle to know what we should be sharing and what kind of 'due diligence' should be completed before pressing the Share, Send or Submit buttons we have such easy access to.
To help you, here are some points I would ask you to consider.
Nothing is worth sharing unless it seeks to entertain, inform, enlighten or challenge.
There is simply no value in sharing poison or vitriol. There is no value in venting your spleen and sharing your bad day unless you seek genuiune advice as to how to deal with a vexatious situation.
Tone is everything. Always re-read your post to see if it may be construed in a negative light. Do you want to be seen as some hyper-ventillating fruitcake? Or perhaps you come across as a preening narcissist? Or perhaps you may be perceied as an ill-informed ning nong? Whatever the reality, perception is everything.
Be aware of how many "Friends" or "Followers" you may have "befriended" and their connection to you. This can be helpful in determining just what level of intimacy you wish to share.
Finally, always keep in mind that social media sites remain in the public domain. This will enable you to apply the appropriate checks and balances to ensure you are promoting the right image for you.
In my next blog, I'll talk more specifically about why such check-ups can be important to both your personal and public life.
Until then, happy sharing!
