Blog Post 12/14/2009
Something that has been discussed ad-nauseum about using social media/lifestreaming best practices is the idea of being on your best behavior while being yourself. The thing is that until living online becomes a standard social practice across the populace there will continue to be newcomers to this realm.
For this reason I want to provide one more case study to consider.
Standing on your stage
We all have personality traits, beliefs and our own sorts of moral compasses that provide the basis for how we act and interact in society. Online these very things are amplified, err, AMPLIFIED!
You see –
- Online we are essentially on stage, given a spotlight and a microphone to speak exactly what we want to say.
- From that stage we don’t have to (and sometimes can’t) get the kind of feedback we get in an intimate, face to face setting. Anything said doesn’t have the chance to be softened by physical cues, inflection or even peer intervention.
- What we say on that stage remains constant – the internet never forgets.
- Online everything is reproducible and re-link-able meaning that, not only does the internet never forget but when you hurtle words on the internet you are not rubber, you are glue; those words stick.
Intention
A business owner who I know is often found spouting off about his extremely conservative political viewpoints. On several occasions his posts have become divisive amongst people who follow him and care enough to comment. Like so many statements made when a core belief is attached to a “team” (in this case the Republican party) the ensuing replies are not conversational but instead controversial.
The business owner’s lifestream quickly turns into an ugly “my team is better than your team” diatribe.
I’m not picking on this business owner’s politics. We are all entitled to our beliefs. However, refer back to the internet as a stage. Choosing to use your stage and microphone to make an inflammatory statement such as, “I will keep my guns, freedom and money….you can keep your change!” will do nothing but inflame your followers.
Of course if this business owner happened to be a gun dealer then perhaps that is exactly the type of statement that would bring his clients out; that may be a good marketing plan. In this case study though the interesting twist is that this person owns a business that purports to provide environmentally friendly products in a B2B scenario.
Surely there are politically conservative individuals who support environmental ideals, right? Unfortunately you won’t find that here. Following along the business owner’s lifestream he makes comments suggesting that his concern for the environment is less than genuine; he refers to “riding the [environmentalist] wave to make a buck.”
Honesty
As a potential client I must look at all of this information and consider the business as a whole, and the person who runs it.
Whether or not I am offended by the political statements of the business owner becomes secondary.
I am concerned about what is at least a disingenuous attitude towards environmentalism if not out and out dishonesty. I get this by comparing what is on his lifestream and what he has his name signed to as his business mission statement and policies. If the owner is willing to be dishonest at the core intentions of his business how trusting should I be of the product he is offering?
Integrity
Living online, whether you are a business owner or just an individual, provides an amazing opportunity to engage with people you may never have had the chance with in the past – however there is a price to be paid for that opportunity.
Whatever you do online must be done with integrity and thoughtfulness. When you live recklessly online you stand to suffer repercussions.
I’d like to end this with someone who’s integrity and environmental concern I don’t believe there is much room to question, Ralph Waldo Emerson, who said; “A little integrity is better than any career.”