Earlier today, I sent my boyfriend a selfie. Not that kind of selfie; just one of my face to say 'hey, I miss you'. I ended up liking the photo enough to use it as my profile picture on Facebook.
All in all, that's not much different than how I arrive at choosing most of my profile pics. Actually, most of the photos I have on social media I have deemed share-worthy at some point, otherwise I would not have posted them to begin with. It's a great way to keep friends and family updated, and even sometimes entertained. Numerous conversation threads have come about by the simple act of posting a photo. Fun interactions, heated debates, and heartwarming sentiment often ensue, which is part of the allure of social media. Positive interactions and feedback are something most of us who utilize these social platforms look forward to.
I enjoy seeing snippets of other people's days and it truly does help the feeling of staying connected in some way. Watching how my friends kids have grown through the years, excitedly following along on someone's vacation adventure, or keeping up with the humorous moments nearly always brings a smile to my face, and I welcome that same interaction to the parts of my life that I choose to share. The problem is, mixed in with all the genuine comments, encouragement and such are not so well-meaning people. The kind of people who think it's acceptable to leave comments that are too personal, flirtatious, or just plain mean. Private messages are even worse. Maybe I've got a somewhat dated view of appropriate behavior, but I can't imagine thinking I'm so anonymous or removed from something that I could just send some of the messages I've been sent by others.
Posting photos or writing a status update can lead to great connections with others, but it can also open you up to interactions you'd prefer not to have. I'm not as reactionary as I once was, and while I am fully aware that I can simply unfriend someone for being out-of-line, I tend to choose to avoid that route. With the good comes the bad, it's the way of life. I choose to ignore it and focus on those conversations I want to be part of because they are healthy, contribute to my growth, and boost the feel-good energy for a more positive existence. I don't appreciate the way some people ignore boundaries, but I'm also not going to give those actions more of my time and energy than I can spare. I'll continue to post whatever I want to share, all the while knowing the possibility of undesirable comments and attempts at conversations I have no interest in engaging in is quite real.
There is no getting overly offended here. I know that being active and sharing online has its drawbacks. Fortunately for me, the benefits and positive aspects far outweigh the few negative or inappropriate encounters I've had.
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