Why Being Authentic is SO important!

http://elitedaily.com/news/world/this-video-will-have-you-completely-rethink-how-you-conduct-yourself-online-and-in-person-video/

So I recently stumbled upon this little gem, and I was immediately captivated by the message. It really confirms many of the ideas that I had about the social media world that we live in and its effect on the human psyche. It’s like are we ready for this rapid evolution of society and what negative byproducts will it bring? But that happens to be another story for a totally different day, right now I will focus on another major point that the video brings up and that is AUTHENTICITY!

Maybe it’s just me, but I know I edit MYSELF constantly! Even in deciding to start writing a blog, I have procrastinated a million times because I felt that I needed to edit myself.  Just like the video says, that’s what the digital age has taught us to do, consistently rethink and second guess what we are going to say and how we are going to say it, all in order to get more ‘likes’.  I mean let’s face it, we post pictures, share videos and links, make commentary on pop culture, all in efforts to shape other’s image of us, and when it all boils down, to make them ‘like’ us.

I believe this is the one of the biggest flaws of the digital age (only coming second to our need for instant gratification), is this idea that we can craft our identities in the virtual world and that others will desire to make a connection with us, based solely on those personas. Although that’s all cute and well it is inauthentic and many times it is just plain out false.  If I pulled up any of my social media profiles you would see a host of images and quotes that paint me to be a certain kind of person, though these posts are REAL pictures of me and quotes that probably inspire me, they aren’t me holistically, NOT EVEN CLOSE! Those pictures don’t show me when I’ve just rolled out of bed and my hair is ALL over the place, those quotes don’t explain how some days I can be THE wicked witch of the west with a sharp tongue and a bad attitude, or how I can be totally moody and escapist. They don’t show you much of my bad side at all, I am editing the content to make myself seem fun, smart, beautiful, and worthwhile… and although at any time of the day I could embody any or all of those characteristics, that’s not ALL that I am… I have some pretty ugly sides as well… some major areas of improvement.

 I like to think of it like this, my closest friends in life all met me in REAL TIME! They know me; the good, the bad, and the flat out ridiculous…but they love me because they know the authentic me…  NOT who I want to be! So this post serves as somewhat of a reminder that in a world of virtual identities, log off a little more and focus on the unedited version of you… I’m sure that person is better anyway (and if they aren’t, take some time to make them that way).