All the world's a stage

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I do not know how politics work in your country, but in mine there is a very simple strategy used by politicians when they are in the news for negative reasons. They simply flood all channels of communication with a different story on a different topic until we forget what they do not want out there. An interesting enough story is not always readily available. Disasters seem to keep their own timetable with very little consideration for anyone's convenience. Thus they create a story that will take our attention away from whatever is embarrassing them at that moment.

We are already flooded with information and news in a way that is unprecedented in human history. Nothing can be kept hidden in our day and the strategy seems to by not to choke off information but to flood us with so much information that it all just becomes white noise. There is so much 'fake news' out there, it has become difficult to find the truth.

I am not a conspiracy theorist and in principle reject anything that sounds like a conspiracy. And I think we are getting better at discerning fact from fiction as we spend more time online and find our way through this maze of information. Somewhere our politicians will shoot themselves in the foot by using this strategy. This will be fatal as their feet are seemingly always in their mouths. 😁

However, I see more and more people venture out in this huge world, adding their voices to channels that will reach further than anyone can imagine. I am sure a politician or a movie star or a celebrity receives a lot of guidance on the implications of anything they do in the public eye. They use words like 'brand' and how to manage and protect it.

The rest of us are used to voicing our opinions to a small group of people and, I for one, am very used to being ignored or my opinion forgot shortly after I pontificated on a point. It just does not matter that much what I said yesterday.

But now, someone like me can voice his opinion to the whole world. And once I have done that, it is out there forever. No one has trained me for this or explained the risks but I am on an international stage. Yes, millions of other people are too and most days I struggle to be noticed just here on Steemit. What if I do get noticed?!? And what if I get noticed for the wrong reasons?!?

In the last three years, I employed, on behalf of three different organisations, 11 different people. This boils down to at least 50 applications that made it to an interview with me. I did not enter any of those interviews without taking a look at that person's social media. Some of them did not even make it to the interview because of what I saw on their social media. Every decision I made was at least somewhat influenced by what I saw on their social media. It answered questions I would never be able to ask in an interview.

There are more repercussions possible. It is important that you are wise and careful regarding what you post on social media.

1. Don't attack anyone, and I mean anyone, on social media.
2. Don't reveal any personal details about squabbles, break-ups, vendettas or feuds.
3. Don't share anything about which you do not want to answer questions in a job interview.
4. No nudity.
5. No pictures of you inebriated in any way.
6. Stay away from any emotionally charged topics. It is OK to have an opinion but not to demean or attack someone else's opinion.

Be wise! This is forever. There is no little private corner. No door to close behind you. You are on a stage and the whole world could be watching. The fact that they are not right now, is no guarantee that they will never watch. And whatever you post today, will still be available for them to see.

Be wise!

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,

(William Shakespeare)

When people get onto a stage they get very nervous as they are very aware of everyone watching. On social media we can easily fool ourselves into thinking no one is watching. That would be unwise.

Be wise!

@reonlouw