The problem is really only with people of our generation dealing with older folks who "don't get it." I expect formality to rapidly die off and get replaced with professionalism. This is something that's already happened in spades with computer companies: people who do the suited, dressed up thing all the time either like it or are just dealing with jobs where their customers expect it. Outside of that, everyone shows up how the hell they want and it don't matter none as long as people get their shit done. I expect this to be a major cultural shift in the next n years.
I personally keep a lot of distance between my public activities and my private ones; looking at my LJ probably reveals some obvious ones. I've been strongly considering opening a professional blog (or somehow splitting this off from professional) but the big thing for me is avoiding prejudice, not feeling squicked by people knowing things.
I don't know... it's why I have two names. I mean, I don't want to not get a job just because someone googled me and found I was the filthy girl I am, but at the same time I don't mind crossovers when I get to decide when they happen.
This sort of reminds me of that first time a teenager sees a high school teacher outside of class and is like "wha? you exist? you wear jeans? you have a cocker spaniel? you have a hot girlfriend?" I think this is a really important experience for teenagers to have, so they can start feeling out the nuances of boundaries they operate within on a daily basis. If this generation is more comfortable understanding that the people they interact with are actually humans, then what could be wrong with that
( ... )
What strikes me immediately about this whole issue is that sex is so central to what is considered potentially embarrassing or damaging to reveal on the Internet. Why? The knee-jerk answer is that of course you don't want an employer seeing a naked picture or a sex video of you, and while I would be terribly squicked personally by that (I mean, I work at a Catholic school! Ack!), I also think it's kind of bizarre that sex is seen as the epitome of inappropriateness. It's odd to me that we interact publicly under the extremely flimsy polite fiction that none of us are sexual beings, when of course, we all are
( ... )
Oh, and adding: I think the metaphor of New Yorkers is spot-on. We constantly overhear personal conversations and we're wedged up against strangers' bodies on the subway, but in the end, we maintain our boundaries. I think the overarching etiquette of New York public interaction demands not that people refrain from having "offensive" conversations on the subway (for example), but rather that bystanders just stop listening if they don't like what they're hearing. Or just deal with it until they leave and never see the person again. And then they come away with the valuable lesson that it will not kill you to encounter some spectrum of human behavior or emotion or thought that you find uncomfortable. You might learn something. Or just post it on Overheard in New York. The point is, I think technology allows us to be more comfortable with the messy humanity of others, and I hope our social mores make some move to catch up.
I think that I, if not you as well, are caught to some degree between the generation of hide-all and the one of tell-all. I agree that as the world and its interactions become more digital, we may have to look to the younger ones to see how that culture will develop. There is some question in my mind as to how healthy it is to base a culture, any culture, on the actions of those so young.
Also, I think you should post like this more often. The class seems interesting, and your thoughts are always interesting to read.
Comments 6
The problem is really only with people of our generation dealing with older folks who "don't get it." I expect formality to rapidly die off and get replaced with professionalism. This is something that's already happened in spades with computer companies: people who do the suited, dressed up thing all the time either like it or are just dealing with jobs where their customers expect it. Outside of that, everyone shows up how the hell they want and it don't matter none as long as people get their shit done. I expect this to be a major cultural shift in the next n years.
I personally keep a lot of distance between my public activities and my private ones; looking at my LJ probably reveals some obvious ones. I've been strongly considering opening a professional blog (or somehow splitting this off from professional) but the big thing for me is avoiding prejudice, not feeling squicked by people knowing things.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Also, I think you should post like this more often. The class seems interesting, and your thoughts are always interesting to read.
Reply
Leave a comment