Who are you online and who are you talking to? Would your friends or colleagues say that you're the same when they interact with you online as offline? Or perhaps you maintain multiple online personalities?
The rise of online social media has created a new extension of ourselves in virtual environments of our own choosing. Do we behave the same online? Is it a problem if we do? Is it a new challenge to Christian living?
I'm sure many are familiar with the social media personality stereotypes – of the lurker, the liker and the attention seeker. If not, a quick search will soon fill you in and probably provide a few laughs as well. Even some psychology articles from a decade ago, such as this one from Joan Suler, suggest some identifiable personality archetypes manifest themselves in our online presence.
However, Joan later points out that people may change their personality depending on where they are, or by choice. This shouldn't be surprising though, since many of us can attest to behaving differently at work vs at home or with acquaintances vs our best friends. What is different about social media is that much of our communication, which is publicly broadcast, is composed and then sent. This gives us pause to check what we say, to portray ourselves as we choose.
In an article by Meghan Casserly, she reports on a selection of business representatives and how they use social media. Many of them attested to maintaining multiple personalities, ranging from social to business to, in some cases, partitioning their followers into common interest groups.
This highlights the trend of tailoring our personal images to achieve our goals. Whether they are acceptance or self-assurance, conscious or subconscious, our mental process for composing a post or status is different to when we talk face to face.
The Internet also brought with it another fascinating extension of our personalities – the potential for anonymity. While social media ties everything to our virtual presence, there are countless forums and sites where one can put forward ideas and critiques while keeping their identity separate.
Additionally, this is another reason why some users of social networking sights create alternative online personalities. Behind these masks and behind these walls who are we really? By creating these alternate realities are we lying to others? Are we lying to ourselves?
A fine line
I would suggest that it is a fine line to tread. A theme used commonly throughout the Bible is that of light being synonymous with truth and Christ. For example, both Mathew and John make frequent use of it. In 1 John 4 we are given comfort that we are children of light and in Ephesians 5 we read that, "Live as children of light(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)".
We can see how, as Christians, we are to conduct ourselves in the light. So how is your Internet personality different to a mask you might wear at work? It seems apparent that we must be consistent as Christians both on and offline.
Taking this another step further, is the potential to make a difference to others. While social media is great it, like words, as the writer of James suggests, does not feed a starving man. We should care for those in our online communities, being ready to get up out of the comfort of our virtual worlds and help them when they need it.
What a great opportunity to pray for those whose hearts are questioning, or those who are suffering, or sick, or in need?!
While it is easy to be passive online and not say things so as not to offend we must remember we are Christians first and forevermore washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. This is not a new challenge to Christian living, it is the same challenge and the same opportunity to show God's love as has been in front of us since the Great Commission.
So, let us acknowledge His presence in thought, word and deed... and in posts online.
Sam Gillespie is a graduate Composition student and a computer programmer doing his Honours year based in Sydney. Sam has composed a number of works.
Sam Gillespie's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/sam-gillespie.html