I’m reading this book of aphorisms by Adam Phillips. It’s VERY interesting…and I think you can apply some of his observations to how we ‘curate’ ourselves across social networks.
We work hard to keep certain versions of ourselves in other people’s mind; and of course, the less appealing ones out of their minds. And yet everyone we meet invents us, whether we like it or not…Our stories often become unrecognizable as they go from mouth to mouth.Being misinterpreted is simply being presented with a version of ourselves - an invention - that we cannot agree with. But we are daunted by other people making us up, by the number of people we seem to be. We become frantic trying to keep the numbers down, trying to keep the true story of who we really are in circulation. This, perhaps more than anything else, drives us into the arms of one special partner. Monogamy is a way of getting the version of ourselves down to a minimum. And, of course, a way of convincing ourselves that some versions are truer than others - that some are special.
Mmm. This makes me go ‘ouch’. But I’m not sure I agree. There are parts of myself that I amplify on social networks based on who I know is following (my ‘audience’ - yuck), and what I know people find interesting (hearts,likes, reblogs, retweets). This doesn’t make it less special…but perhaps it’s not ‘real’ or the ‘full story’. But even those I have a ‘special’ relationship with don’t get the full story.
