Don’t you hate it when someone who isn’t really involved in “Social Media stuff” says that it’s just so narcissistic? You try to say, “Well, no, it’s about sharing and giving information, and…and…” You have all kinds of answers, right?
So let me ask you a question.
If I go to your Twitter account or your blog page right now, what will I think I know about you?
It’s something perhaps we in this space don’t think a lot about. We think about how we want to project ourselves. We think about what we are putting out there. But maybe we need to approach it differently on occasion. What are others seeing? What are people “getting” if they don’t have the full context of our brains and souls in mind?
Here are some questions. Let me know how you think I or someone else would answer these about, well, you.
What does your picture say about you? What do I “know” if I look at your avatar? Are you an egg in front of a pastel background? Do you not take yourself seriously enough to put a real picture in there? Are you a happy person? Kind of distant? Do I know if you’re male or female?
What does your bio say about you? What do I know about you after reading your bio on your blog or on Twitter? Do I know where you work and what you do? Do I not know anything because there’s nothing there? Are you hiding something? Do I think that you are extremely religious? Do I think that you care about baseball more than what you are tweeting about?
What do your tweets say about you? Do your tweets tell me that you are a vulgar person who swears a lot? Do I think you are not really serious about your work? Do you seem to watch television more than working your job? Do you want to talk with me, to me, or at me? Am I worried about working with you because you seem too goofy or childish, or am I afraid of you because you seem confrontational or snobby? Or do I think we’re on the way to creating a strong friendship?
What does your blog say about you? Do I know what you are passionate about? Does it look like you take the time to proofread and do a spellcheck? Do I think you are phoning it in, or do I think you are working your butt off? Do I think you love your job or hate it? Do I know what you are trying to do?
If you didn’t know you, what would you think? What do you think you know about other people? Have you found out that you’re right? Have you found out that you’re wrong?
Do I know all of the wrong things about you?
What are you going to do about it?
Let’s talk it over.
1. Are you trying to tell me using a Hong Kong Phooey avatar means I don’t take myself very seriously?
2. What happens if I’m tweeting about baseball? As a general rule, yes I care more about sports than Twitter although I can be passionate about both.
3. Yes I am hiding something. We all are.
4. I think a 4:8000+ tweet ratio means I’m not that vulgar, I will however, type out a swear word rather than star it out, I don’t really like censorship.
5. Oooh I can be goofy, childish, care more about something than work, confrontational and snobby. Still wanna work with me? 🙂
6. I hate list posts.
1. No! You’re very serious about your avatar. I’m just saying for OTHER people……:)
2. Not saying you shouldn’t tweet about baseball, but is your love of baseball what I most need to know about you?
3. Fair enough.
4. Not a fan of censorship either, except…I view Twitter as an extension of my office, so I talk accordingly.
5. Sure!
6. You started it 🙂
I’m very serious about my avatar? I currently have a reindeer with the twitter logo on its tongue.
I think if I’d rank sporting care it’d go Soccer, hockey, american football although fantasy sports would probably come a close second if not joint first. Sports is my first love, given past working experience and as a link to my homeland from far away. I first started following American sports in the mid-80s on an old radio a great aunt gave. Happy times listening to the games, not so good for sleep cycle though. Of course this may be of little use to you but surely you’d like to know my main passion in life, outside tweet chats, family and reindeer?
We’re all hiding something on the intertubes. 140 characters isn’t enough to make a rounded view of anyone. I think I’d get on famously with most of the people I speak to regularly on the net but there’s always the chance that first impression is not a good one. For example I was kept awake all night by a party above our apartment, spent 17 hours travelling on three flights then had two hours sleep before meeting three levels of bosses above me for the first time. I doubt my first impression was all that good.
Then there’s culture clashes, such as level of alcohol consumption per country and finally safety issues. Also rooted in culture, there’s some things you don’t share for safety fears – such as much information on your kids, your location, travel plans etc, things you wouldn’t think twice about sharing on the phone or to friends that lived closer to you.
Completely agree with your stance on censorship and I think a ratio of 1:2000 tweet posts that feature profanity is not one that would set off the vulgar index. However, if I am to swear and I’m surprised I haven’t more tbh with certain friends, I’ll type the word(s) out. Stars/punctuation marks seem silly.
Fascinating discussion but until you meet face-to-face there’s always a 2D relationship.
no no, I’m 3d online.
I’m actually 4d in real life.
See, I was hiding that! 🙂
One thing about twitter that I am just starting to really get (despite having been on it since 2008) is that there is a lot of room for misunderstanding. With just 140 characters to talk, and conversations that are disjointed, it is really easy to offend, be misunderstood, or simply miss an important part of the conversation. The little bit that we have to offer – the avatar, the background, the swear words, – does add to understanding in some ways. Right now I’m feeling disillusioned with twitter. I just no that the things you mention above are important. And funny, sometimes I almost feel a sense of disappointment when I look at a profile and there is no link at all going to a personal site or blog in the twitter profile place for that link. I like having that small piece of extra information.
Why disillusioned?
I agree, I get disappointed when a link takes me to nowhere or maybe to a pretty empty LinkedIn account. It’s nice to get a little more insight into the people you’re talking to. A blank bio leaves an awful lot of questions, that’s for sure.
Wow Margie, you have a lot of thought provoking questions. This is good material I will put to use. Thank you.
1st off, I like this site. Why? Simplicity. Straightforward. Asks engaging questions. Doesn’t hint at a “secret” I don’t know and need to.
So, to the questions.
1. My picture is recent and a reasonable likeness. It’s of a guy on a telephone -talking/listening-Communicating. So the picture says here is a guy who is centered on Communicating. I love cotmmunicative engagement. There is high privilege in connecting with others about significant things.
2. the bio lays a lot out there – basics – what I like (birds, libraries, Mozart) where I’ve been to school (USC), what I do (make music)
3. I hope my tweets show I like to have some fun while getting my message out, and that I am not a stuffy old fart.
4. My blog, at this point, shows I am a mere beginner but am making an attempt.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to say these things.
Wayne