In a world that's increasingly digital, it's been incredible navigating the creation of avatars. Join Now. Enter your email. Enter your password. (Don't forget to update your profile!) Upload a jpeg that 'best represents you' and all of a sudden our digital selves own real estate.
In a world where a parallel universe exists inside the flat box on our table or the mini computer in our pocket, new rules are created, etiquette evolves, and we get to pick which version of ourselves we want to be.
Critiques of the internet say that it allows people to front, put on their makeup, and only show you the good parts of their lives. But for the most part, people do that in real life too.
That's not the internet's fault, but it does bring up an interesting point with respect to who we are online versus who we are in the world. I believe that we should only ever be as vulnerable, honest, raw, fake, fun, happy, crass, or silly online as we are in person.
No need to magnify or amplify, we can all just be ourselves.
We'll find more power in social media by showing more than just the glossy sheen. By sharing our insights, doubts, forks in the road, and our uncertainty, we do more for each other than the superficial version of ourselves could ever inspire.
I'll (try to) take my own advice.