I was anonymous back then, and didn’t feel the need to censor anything I wrote. After all, wasn’t that what blogs were for? Verbally drop-kicking people who hurt me, divulging my uneasy secrets to get them off my chest, saying everything I could never say in real life? Wasn’t that what the Internet was for? Finally — a way to be noticed without being called out.
I had to chuckle when I came across this article, I am at a crossroads as to how much I want (need??) to vent (oh,,, how I want to vent so so bad) versus what I actually should say regarding issues in my personal life. Not that I am concerned about the impact such disclosures would have on me personally, but out of respect to "others" involved (not that I have received any respect lately, but that is another story.)
A primary example being the situation surrounding my now ex and her arrest; public knowledge of the story versus putting a spotlight on something that had remained out of the local news media. In other words, until the court hearings, very little detail had been published concerning the incident. I wanted to blab about it, but out of respect for my friends who where victimized, I didn't. (Actually both my friends and I were hoping that we may luck out and not have any information published in the local media. We did lobby for that idea, since we live in such a small town, but the media won out. To their credit, they were very discreet and kept the use of names to a minimum.)
All of this is why now, no matter what I write, be it on Facebook or Twitter or my personal blog or a comment on someone else’s website, I make sure the words I’m typing are words I am willing to stand behind.
Prior to this blog I had two others, one similar to this and a more personal blog/website dealing with my journey of being dx'd with bipolar disorder and the immediate aftermath. I remember some people even then commenting about my openness concerning my diagnosis, but I was more concerned about learning, reaching out and trying to destroy the stigma surrounding mental illness. I still am, and remain, to this day. If my rantings reached one confused soul so be it, all was good.
Now tho it's a much different scenario.
Like the author, I felt anonymous (facebook didn't exist, neither did twitter); and yes, there has been a progression in my thinking. I will still talk openly about my battles with bipolar and issues surrounding it, but I will not delve too deep into personal life. (Now I'm more interested in topics that deal with proper treatment and maintaining a stable life with or without meds.) Also, I may have an advantage, I keep a personal handwritten journal where all hell is let loose, and I do not hold back; so my need to publicly vent is held in check (altho occasionally, little bits an pieces do sneak out in other online forums. Sometimes I just can't help myself.) Another factor, the focus of my blog is different. I'm more interested in intriguing bits of information that are floating in the cyber world, not discussing the nitty gritty of my personal life unless it highlights a point in an article I am posting about.
Blending my online persona with who I really am can sometimes feel boring; after all, there’s no way to make myself seem super awesome and interesting through carefully crafted Facebook updates or a half-true blog post, but if a slight mundane-ness is the price I have to pay for living a truthful life — both online and off — then bring on the ordinary.
And that I agree with whole heartily. What you see, is what you get. I am who I am, and I hope some may find it interesting, and gain insight. Others may well be bored out of their minds. It is still fun for me, and that is what this blog is partly about. And as I have stated before, I am an information junkie, I must store this information some where.
The Dangers Of Letting Your Online Persona Do The Talking | World of Psychology
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