How We Present Ourselves on Social Media

As addressed in the "Room for Debate" issue "Is Digital Connectedness Good or Bad for People?", it's become apparent that social media has begun to play an increasingly prominent role in our lives.  While reflecting on the impact social media seems to have on human behavior, I considered the fact that a blog is technically a form of social media.  I wondered if how we present ourselves while blogging bears any similarity to the ways in which we act on more conventional forms of social media (e.g. Instagram).

I would say that one can indeed draw parallels between the ways we modify our behavior on the blog and on other social media platforms.  On social media in general, we typically aim to exhibit ourselves in a certain light.  We try to make it seem as though we possess particular range of characteristics, while concealing those we favor less.  It seems trying to shape one's image through words can be a bit more difficult than attempting to do so through visual means, though.  Perhaps is why many of us have found a bit of difficulty in writing blog posts.  We fear coming off as incompetent, or we fear exhibiting controversial opinions.

Hopefully what I've tried to say has made at least a bit of sense.  That being said, do you feel that on the blog you try to exhibit yourself in a certain light?  Or do you find it a bit more easy to speak casually and freely here?  Personally, I feel I overthink the things I write hear, but hopefully blogging will start to feel more natural as the school year progresses (then again, I might be overthinking everything I'm saying because I'm very tired right now).

- Sarah Kernal