You are what you post!

You are what you post!

 

Yes yes we hear you are what you eat, drink, say and so on, I bet though that you have not heard about being what you post. When I say post I mean on social media, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc.

 

By now we all should realize the world is a global village and anyone with a cellphone and as much as your phone number or Instagram id. Or even your nickname can get enough information on you that makes or mar your image.

 

Sometime back a colleague chatted me up pretty worried because he thought I was going through a heartbreak, I wasn’t, he however thought so because of the very gloomy pictures that I had kept using as my DP(display picture) over a couple of days. In his mind he had created an image (which was fuelled by me) of this heartbroken girl that could not hold it together she had to start posting pictures relating to her situation. Since that incident I became ever watchful of what was on my DP, I didn’t and still don’t want anyone assuming things or situations about me.

More recently with the advent of  the “Facebook memory” feature I got constantly embarrassed by the things Facebook reminded me that I had done, posted, said, liked and friends I have made. Most times I am like “oh come on F$#^& what were you thinking” or “was that me?” and then I mostly thought “people shouldn’t have to see that”. Some posts were good but honestly most posts from 2011 or so were mostly childish, naïve, mostly about love and thoughtless. They absolutely do not define who I am, and I can imagine my present day colleagues, friends, even foes stumble on them, I mean they would look at me in a totally different light albeit a bad one.

Now let’s imagine I had known ever since that I am what I post at least in the eyes of lurkers, employers, friends, love interests and so on I would have been a tad more careful and thoughtful as to the pictures of me and posts I shared online. Imagine someone meeting you in church and he goes to search your name on Google, only to find the raunchiest pictures of you in the image section. You have created an image, an appalling one and in all fairness to you, you aren’t a “hoe”, just a girl who has fun a couple of times and likes to share this information with a few close friends. Well well a “few close friends” is the whole cyber space now and that person who stumbled upon your pictures won’t come asking for any explanations, people just assume.

 

So I went back to some of my online pages, including this blog and deleted a couple of things (including my articles with the highest views) because I am not best described or represented by those things and I wouldn’t want people creating a wrong impression about me before even getting the opportunity to hear me speak. Don’t get me wrong I am not saying, delete hence deny ever being young and naïve. I am saying, think twice before you post things. Look at your location, what you are wearing or saying, access your intent and the possible outcome, could they be passing the same message?

Posting online is like communicating with people who don’t know you and try being cautious so you don’t misinform them. Don’t go strutting half naked on Snapchat and then get pissed when a follower tells you he has a sugar daddy who likes you. For guys too, don’t pose in a private jet with money as pillow and then get mad when we say you are a “yahoo boy”, dude rich ass corporate guys don’t pose with money biko. If however you are a victim of your once silly past posts, please try going back through your timeline and erase them, you might not get all but enough to salvage your face.

 

I hope this makes sense?????? Do have a lovely week all xoxoxooxxxooo