Facebook = Authenticity check.

As you may know, I have become somewhat of a Facebook freak. I have found it a great way to keep in touch with more people and reconnect with those I haven't spoken to in years. But, I often ask, is Facebook a good thing? Are your worlds colliding?

Many of us have a network of people we work with, and the roles we play there. Then there is the group of people we socialize with, maybe another group that we interact with at church, at our children's school events, etc. Do you play different roles in each group, or are you able to seamlessly interact in all of those groups in a truly authentic manner? Do you talk about the same things in each of those circles?

Enter, Facebook. Great for social networking, but does it also pose a problem of your worlds colliding? That thought reminds me of a Seinfeld episode where George contemplates this dilemma.

 Is Facebook the great authenticity maker? It is, if nothing, pretty informative. Yes, when looking at job applicants, I have been guilty of checking them out of Facebook. It shows more about what kind of a person they are, their interests and what they are really passionate about, far more than any cover letter or resumé ever could. Once I Facebooked an applicant and found that they were bashing their current employer, current manager on a facebook page which wasn't protected whatsoever. If they were inclined to do that for someone they are currently collecting a paycheck from, what would stop them for publicly bashing me? Another had a lovely image of her backside as a profile photo, I saw it as a testament to her taste level.

Can a George divided against itself stand? Or does George really HAVE to be divided? If we are really living authentically, can't we be the same person at work as we are at home? Sure, in different situations, we need to take on different roles and responsibility, but can't we do them with a strong sense of who we are, being authentic to that?

Maybe Facebook is a good exercise for us, a good lesson on "say what you do and do what you say." If you could just be who you are, and not have to put on different masks, play different roles, wouldn't our lives be much simpler? Will a generation who grows up on Facebook be less likely to become a divided George?

And what about relationships, if people really knew who you are, would they relate to you on a deeper level? Would you be able to have deeper more meaningful conversations? Would your clients or employees think less of you if they know what you read in your spare time? That you have kids? That you are a real person? Or would they respect and related to you more fully? If they don't, are those client or employee relationships worth having?

Is Facebook the ultimate authenticity check?

Comments

[Jeff Zurschmeide]

I think Facebook is an object lesson in "don't put anything on the Internet that you wouldn't stand up on stage and say in front of your entire town, your co-workers, and everyone you have ever known or ever will know."

It's not clear that Facebook is more or less authentic than any other presentation of ourselves we create, such as a resume or cover letter.