The Case for Privacy
By Margarita Diaz
Remember when people Didn’t know
All your business
Because you didn’t tell them?
I’d rather show you what I see
Than share a picture of just me.
But getting personal is key.
We call it authenticity.
Showing the face behind the posts.
Sharing my thoughts on here, like most.
But when does enough
Become too much?
All our thoughts
Aren’t everyone’s business.
Don your privacy
Is what I mean.
No need to go naked
Just don’t wear a costume!
Don’t have to expose
So much you, to be seen.
Are you hearing everyone’s opinions on everything, all the time, on social media?
Maybe you’re seeing lots of personal moments and information shared super-publicly in the spirit of “being real?”
I am, and it’s often left me wondering:
❓In the quest for authenticity or a desire to reach and help others, has the appreciation for privacy been mistakenly diminished?
Consider the following:
▪ We don’t need to share ALL our opinions on social media.
⚠ And thanks to the cognitive bias known as the backfire effect, beating people over the head with your opinions can actually cause those who disagree to dig their heels deeper into their own opinions.
▪ We don’t need to expose ourselves so much to be seen or use our voice.
⚠ Biases and quick judgements can arise every time we share of ourselves. Know exactly why you are sharing what you share.
▪ Owning our opinions doesn’t mean we OWE them to everyone.
⚠ Silence is rarely a clear answer. If you feel pressured to share your position on an issue, consider why you feel you “have to” speak on it then, there, and to that person or audience.
▪ All our thoughts aren’t everyone’s business.
⚠ Bringing our full selves to any space doesn’t mean our naked selves mentally and emotionally, any more than it does physically.
Authenticity is about not wearing a costume, NOT going naked. You don’t have to expose yourself so much to be seen.
So how can we share ourselves effectively without going overboard?
▫ We can tell our stories remembering that it’s the feelings that make them personal, more so than the specifics.
▫ Understand that if people haven’t asked, it may be considered intrusive (culturally or personally) to share or inquire to varying degrees.
▫ Address important issues from multiple perspectives and with a little mystery as to our own position. This allows room for more open-minded contemplation.
▫ And if connection is what we seek, let’s be ourselves but be discerning about what we share, when and with whom.
✨✨ So leave a little to the imagination. It just might spark the right kind of curiosity.
