How Much Amount of Guts Does it Take To Share Anything Online?

July 9, 2023

Photo by Maryia Plashchynskaya on Pexel

Before we can get over understanding the enormous power of sharing our thoughts that online platforms equipped us with not too many years ago and the excitement that releases flushes of dopamine that come with it, there is a problem that it has introduced.

A problem that grows to a degree just equivalent to the speed at which the spread of online information and the introduction of more new platforms regularly occur. No, this is not a problem of misinformation, hate speech, crimes, etc.; instead, it is a problem of the right amount of information to share online.

When I started exposing myself to social media as a teenager, I remember it was about fun, trend, and curiosity. But now, social media serve teenagers as a voice of expression, a means to make money, gain and grow followers, a trend, and where you can be bullied by anybody (not just school bullies).

As I stated in this article, ‘When It Is Not Sharing Too Much Personal Information Online.’ — The standard advice you find online on what not to share and keep silent instead is your finances, your love life, and your next move.

I digressed by asking questions like, ‘As a salary earner, will a hater advise my boss that I am being paid too much? Or lousy mouth me in front of my lover to the point of falling out of love? Or lastly, tell people not to buy from me if I share that I am starting a new business or travelling to a new country?’ Knowing the logical common sense behind this idea of keeping these three levels of personal information secret is to avoid haters.

So I declared there is no such thing as sharing too much personal information online. A point I plan to defend over and over again in the years to come.

Because generally, it appears that the reason society perceives some events as bragging or sharing too much personal information is that society unconsciously has been built to keep what is positive information secret. Like finances, love life, adventure, happiness, etc., So in contrast, this introduces the clear-cut that there is nothing like bragging, except when you tell lies in an attempt to self-promote.

However, I suggest not sharing personal information that will expose you to any form of risks, physical, mental, financial, etc. And by doing this, you have not in any way shared too much personal information online.

Conversely, from the engagements from people in the article and with the help of my reflection, I observe that anything posted online is a considerable amount of information to share by default.

I can post as simple as a full stop (.) or an emoji (😁) online and still get the same portion of positive and negative engagements as the person that posted a long text. These negative reactions could come from online police who interrogate what people share on their personal pages and then from analysts who, from that little information, can say a load of what is happening in the post creator’s personal life.

Though these are the least of the threats of what is faced by sharing anything online, this made me ask the question — ‘How Much Amount of Guts Does it Take To Share Anything Online?’

What baffles me are the online record keepers who have screenshots of things people published years even after, in some cases, when the author had deleted them.

I would have loved to ask if they knew these things would be relevant in the future. Or do people take screenshots of everything and save them in their online drives or clouds, just in case? But then, that is why I refer to them as online police and record keepers.

We all need a huge amount of guts to share anything online because it is most surprising that the online police and record keepers could keep a record of posts that seemed harmless at the time of posting. I wonder if they knew from the beginning that the authors would someday eventually swallow or delete their words. Or, more seriously, do people just lie in wait for other people’s scandals online?

For these reasons, I want to extend my suggestions from the previous article on the right amount of personal information to share online and the amount of guts needed. Be sure that you can own up to anything you share online in the future before you publish, even if it is a full stop. And, if you are unsure you can, let it go.

Though I am an advocate of change that acknowledges that people have the potential to grow and evolve, this article is to serve as a gentle reminder that the ***INTERNET NEVER FORGETS***.

Who knows, I might come up with another new perspective to this body of argument and discourse. But until then, please leave your opinion in the comment section. I promise I will not hold you to this in the future.

Many thanks for reading my perspective and giving feedback.

My fervent wish is for the personal growth of everyone and the success of all young professionals who put their hearts and souls into finding their purpose in life.

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How Much Amount of Guts Does it Take To Share Anything Online?

A continuation of — When It Is Not Sharing Too Much Personal Information Online.