Skip to main content

FaceBook and the New Personal Integrity

Joining FaceBook has done an odd and somewhat unexpected thing to me: it seems to have strengthened my integrity. And by integrity, I mean two things. I mean it first in the common sense of "adhering to an ethical code". But I also mean it in the sense of "having internal consistency".

How has this happened? And why is the title of this blog entry not "The Internet and the New Personal Integrity"?

The answer these questions lie in the fact that FaceBook has, for me, become a place where I interact with a very diverse group of friends, many of whom do not know my other friends. Granted, there are clusters of friends (Anglicans, bodybuilders, car guys, family, ex-students, etc.) who know each other. But people from one cluster don't know or share the same interests with people in the other clusters.

Elsewhere on the internet, things tend to be specialized. There are entire websites (nay, pairs or trios of rival websites!) dedicated to a single model of automobile. For example, I belong to the Fairlane Club of America, and the Motor City Marauders. These are special-interest sites, each with a laser focus on a particular tiny sliver of the automotive hobby. Likewise, I participate in the forums of several bodybuilding websites. That is a small sub-culture with dozens of rival websites.

The specialization, on the good side, allows one to let his or her hair down (not literal hair, you understand; I don't have enough of that to let down). One knows that one is among, if not friends, then at least a set of people who share a very narrow, common interest. The same specialization, on the negative side, allows one to lead a sort of "double life". For example, I can potentially post something on a bodybuilding site that would be shocking to my friends in other circles, with the near-certain knowledge that none of them will ever stumble upon it. (Here's a hypothetical: On a fitness-related site, it might not raise eyebrows to post something derogatory about fat people.) This allows for, at least, the possibility of presenting different personae on different forums, which doesn't really meet either definition of "integrity".

I am finding that, because my collection of FaceBook friends is so diverse, I am forced toward a greater integrity in two complementary ways:

(1) Refraining from giving offense. On the specialized sites, one has greater latitude in expressing himself in ways that will not give offense. (Hypothetical: On a muscle car site, I might be tempted to say that anyone who drives a Honda is an irredeemable loser.) But on FaceBook, because of the diversity of the audience, one has to truly refrain from making statements that one is not willing to defend to any and all friends.

(2) Sometimes, my most heartfelt opinions (ones I am willing to live or die by) will still give offense to some subset of my friends. These may be controversial beliefs and opinions, to which I cling so tenaciously that I am willing to lose friends over the issues, should it come to that. Here, the diverse FaceBook audience causes me to choose my words carefully, so that any offense may come from the substance of the statement, and not simply from its insulting form. If I truly believe the controversial statement, making it in front of the FaceBook audience requires much greater courage than posting the same statement in a special-interest forum.

Thus, when thinking of some single-line status update zinger, I naturally seem required to "bin" it into one of the two categories above. If it falls into the first, I restrain my hand in Dr. Strangelove manner, and do not post it. If it falls into the second, I post it and brace myself for the shock to come, if any.

A more purpose-driven individual (I am chaos-driven, myself) might have foreseen this turn of events before plunging into the wilderness of social networking. But I did not. I have to say, it is a pleasant thing. I can almost feel the integrity build inside, as I present what I feel is a much more honest picture of myself to the world.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Udari Warnakulasooriya

There are nice cute and sexy large image collection of Udari Warnakulasooriya with good resolution. You can quickly download now. Udari Warnakulasooriya is a very hot and famous actress in SriLanka. Not only that but also she is a very famous Television presenter.There are newly released and previous large photos collection with  good resolution.when you see this images you will try to download it because actually she is very cute and sexy. Now she has married. She has come in to the industry by Miss Sri Lanka competition and theb she work as a Television presenter in Derana Television network. Her first film was "Paya enne hiruse".After that she can be a very famous actress among young generation. This film was directed by Udayakantha Warnakulasooriya. She will be a very famous star among our world. This is our wish for it . Good Luck Dear Udari. .................................................................................................. For more images of Udari Warnak...

Nadini Premadasa

There are very large image Collection of Super Star Singer and Very famous singer in Sri Lanka, Nadini Premadasa with very good resolution. Newly and Previous Hot and Cute images via this site. Nadini Premadasa is a very famous Singer & TV presenter in Sri Lanka.She was born on 19th December & her school was Musaeus College. Her first audio "Sapu Kusume" & video "Madesha Balannai" was released in 2007.She has released a her first music album is out now.There are large image collection with her previous and newly released hot and cute images. The year 2007 is the revolutionary year of Nadini Premadasa. She unleashed her potential by entering to the “Sirasa Super Star Singing Competition”. This is the most competitive reality singing program in Sri Lanka. She had the courage and talent to compete with the best singing personalities in the country. As a result, she ended becoming an attractive and talented female singer.(via nadinilive.com ) She is very cut...

Nirosha Perera

There are many Sexy and Beautiful images of Nirosha Perera. Dont waist your time the all images which you want can get from here Get these quickly. Nirosha Perera is the famous TV presenter and actress in Sri Lanka. She has act many Teledramas that are very famous among young generation. Previous time she has act new film is "Ekamath Eka Rataka". We could see very clever acting from Nirosha Perera. Nirosha studied at Buddhist Ladies College, Colombo and popular figure from schooldays onwards since everywhere where things were happening. Nirosha is the second in the Perera. Her sister is Irosha Perera also she is a TV presenter.Both Nirosha and Irosha were grateful to Sydney Chandrasekara for moulding them into what they are today as television presenters. As others she will make a new presentation style nearly. so this is our wishes for her. Good Luck Nirosha Perera. ................................................................................................................