Last week, my best friend from home (Northern Virginia) announced her arrival at Pace University (which oddly starts after Labor day) on Facebook. Two days after I left home for University of Kentucky, this (very annoying) chick from my high school posted a pic of her engagement ring on Instagram from this guy she’s been dating for 6 months. Yes, she is only eighteen. Junior year, a very close friend of mine’s death announcement was broadcasted over Twitter. Social Media is a tool utilized for communication for people through the Internet. A few of my personal favorites: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
I grew up with technology. My generation is almost too comfortable with it that we think it’s acceptable to tell friends about peers that have passed away suddenly over twitter. But see this doesn’t surprise me now-a-days. Websites like Facebook keep me informed. I might be ten hours away from home, but if you and I both log into our online accounts I can see your exact post at the exact you post it, from anywhere around the world, and specifically from Kentucky. This is comforting almost, to know that I can move away, and still be connected to friends and family.
I do believe there are many positives to social media websites and apps, like staying connected. But surrounded by other “Young Adults” (Yes, that is what we like to be called) learning our way through life, there are going to be some (many) mistakes we make. Unfortunately for us, our mistakes are now made public and non-erasable. I think my generation is still learning this (or maybe just ignoring the fact) but everything has a consequence, and publicly posting inappropriate pictures and statuses will sooner or later receive a consequence.
For example: In high school I played volleyball, and on my team was a girl, lets call her Ferny. Now Ferny was the boy-ish kind of girl, who didn’t wear makeup, the ponytail was her go-to style, and a t-shirt and jeans were acceptable for any occasion. So you see why I was in shock two months ago to be scrolling through my daily ritual of Instagram and find a picture that she posted of herself in a bra, pursing her lips in front of her bathroom mirror. Her profile by the way is not private. So now I and ALL of her peers know what 1. She does all day (takes pics half-naked in front of her bathroom mirror) and 2. What she looks like in a bra. This isn’t a busty girl, and in effort to understand what in the world she was thinking, I lost sight of my maturity and commented.
First I should tell you a little more background information. Ferny inspires to be a photographer. From this picture I question the object of her lens but from what I’ve heard her say before, Real Estate photography is what she’s been looking into. Ferny just started her own business; you guessed it, Real Estate photography. She even has her own website. Now if I were selling my house, I might Google this photographer and his/her previous work before I commit to a contract. What happens when this potential client Googles “Ferny McFern” and sees this Instagram post of Ferny in a bra? Yeah, the phrase potential client just went out the window.
So like I said, I lost sight of my maturity, commented like I shouldn’t have, and it went a little like this.
I grew up with technology. My generation is almost too comfortable with it that we think it’s acceptable to tell friends about peers that have passed away suddenly over twitter. But see this doesn’t surprise me now-a-days. Websites like Facebook keep me informed. I might be ten hours away from home, but if you and I both log into our online accounts I can see your exact post at the exact you post it, from anywhere around the world, and specifically from Kentucky. This is comforting almost, to know that I can move away, and still be connected to friends and family.
I do believe there are many positives to social media websites and apps, like staying connected. But surrounded by other “Young Adults” (Yes, that is what we like to be called) learning our way through life, there are going to be some (many) mistakes we make. Unfortunately for us, our mistakes are now made public and non-erasable. I think my generation is still learning this (or maybe just ignoring the fact) but everything has a consequence, and publicly posting inappropriate pictures and statuses will sooner or later receive a consequence.
For example: In high school I played volleyball, and on my team was a girl, lets call her Ferny. Now Ferny was the boy-ish kind of girl, who didn’t wear makeup, the ponytail was her go-to style, and a t-shirt and jeans were acceptable for any occasion. So you see why I was in shock two months ago to be scrolling through my daily ritual of Instagram and find a picture that she posted of herself in a bra, pursing her lips in front of her bathroom mirror. Her profile by the way is not private. So now I and ALL of her peers know what 1. She does all day (takes pics half-naked in front of her bathroom mirror) and 2. What she looks like in a bra. This isn’t a busty girl, and in effort to understand what in the world she was thinking, I lost sight of my maturity and commented.
First I should tell you a little more background information. Ferny inspires to be a photographer. From this picture I question the object of her lens but from what I’ve heard her say before, Real Estate photography is what she’s been looking into. Ferny just started her own business; you guessed it, Real Estate photography. She even has her own website. Now if I were selling my house, I might Google this photographer and his/her previous work before I commit to a contract. What happens when this potential client Googles “Ferny McFern” and sees this Instagram post of Ferny in a bra? Yeah, the phrase potential client just went out the window.
So like I said, I lost sight of my maturity, commented like I shouldn’t have, and it went a little like this.
“^^^ Woah there, where are your clothes? @Ferny”
“@Moore Of Katie haha I must have lost them!”
(Oh, she thinks she’s cute.)
“You better find them, I’m sure you posting pics in a bra isn’t good for your business or reputation. @Ferny”
“No one from my business will see this, besides, that shows what you know, and it’s not a bra. Look at my likes, obviously my peers like what they see @MooreOfKatie”
Now come on! The conversation goes on, but the point is this little girl is completely clueless to how she’s representing herself (then again, maybe she’s not) and clueless to how this could be detrimental to her future. I don’t want to say our generation has gotten less intelligent, just too comfortable with technology. Too comfortable to the length that we don’t realize when were making a mistake by posting something that anyone in the entire world with Internet access can see. I admit, I make my own mistakes on social media, just like now when I commented, now my argument is on the Internet for anyone to see. Social media permits opportunity for conflicts to arise, without having to say something face to face to someone.
This need to comment would probably disappear if I were speaking to Ferny in person. The Internet allows people to say things behind a screen, which most of us know we would never post in the real world. Now what we have to understand is that the Internet is the real world. Just because you can’t see this person, does not mean it comes without consequence.
So you may be wondering, what was my consequence? What happened to me after I decided to voice my opinion and call this poor girl out on her inappropriate picture? Well my goal for this conversation was meant to be well, even though I got a little carried away. I wanted Ferny to understand how people would perceive her from this photo, and typically that would not be as a classy chick. My consequence was being scolded by my mother, who is “very cool” and also has an Instagram. She follows both of us and saw the conversation and was immediately disappointed I involved myself.
“You should’ve just left it alone!” she said.
Maybe I should have, but eventually Ferny took her photo down after the big argument, and though her reputation still dinted, at least she didn’t leave it up. I embarrassed her, but I feel like someone had to show her how ridiculous she looked. I hope she doesn’t receive consequences from this photo, but what my generation needs to realize, even if this photo is deleted, it’s still forever in the Internet. Social Media is very popular with adults young and old, but it is still new. All users need to think before posting, know that it cant ever be truly erased, and think about the negative effects you may experience from making a rude comment, posting an inappropriate pic, or voicing political views.
“@Moore Of Katie haha I must have lost them!”
(Oh, she thinks she’s cute.)
“You better find them, I’m sure you posting pics in a bra isn’t good for your business or reputation. @Ferny”
“No one from my business will see this, besides, that shows what you know, and it’s not a bra. Look at my likes, obviously my peers like what they see @MooreOfKatie”
Now come on! The conversation goes on, but the point is this little girl is completely clueless to how she’s representing herself (then again, maybe she’s not) and clueless to how this could be detrimental to her future. I don’t want to say our generation has gotten less intelligent, just too comfortable with technology. Too comfortable to the length that we don’t realize when were making a mistake by posting something that anyone in the entire world with Internet access can see. I admit, I make my own mistakes on social media, just like now when I commented, now my argument is on the Internet for anyone to see. Social media permits opportunity for conflicts to arise, without having to say something face to face to someone.
This need to comment would probably disappear if I were speaking to Ferny in person. The Internet allows people to say things behind a screen, which most of us know we would never post in the real world. Now what we have to understand is that the Internet is the real world. Just because you can’t see this person, does not mean it comes without consequence.
So you may be wondering, what was my consequence? What happened to me after I decided to voice my opinion and call this poor girl out on her inappropriate picture? Well my goal for this conversation was meant to be well, even though I got a little carried away. I wanted Ferny to understand how people would perceive her from this photo, and typically that would not be as a classy chick. My consequence was being scolded by my mother, who is “very cool” and also has an Instagram. She follows both of us and saw the conversation and was immediately disappointed I involved myself.
“You should’ve just left it alone!” she said.
Maybe I should have, but eventually Ferny took her photo down after the big argument, and though her reputation still dinted, at least she didn’t leave it up. I embarrassed her, but I feel like someone had to show her how ridiculous she looked. I hope she doesn’t receive consequences from this photo, but what my generation needs to realize, even if this photo is deleted, it’s still forever in the Internet. Social Media is very popular with adults young and old, but it is still new. All users need to think before posting, know that it cant ever be truly erased, and think about the negative effects you may experience from making a rude comment, posting an inappropriate pic, or voicing political views.