Convention has it that we are more connected than ever through the social media that has proliferated as a result of the internet. We text, email, tweet, “Like” our Facebook friends and share our thoughts and pictures with a worldwide audience. We invite “strangers” into our virtual social circle. We confide our innermost secrets to avatars we’ve never met. We create our profile on dating sites to attract potential suitors or suckers. We can connect to those that are like-minded or site-blinded. We have instant rapport with those who purport to champion our causes, represent our interests or regurgitate our rhetoric. Whatever support we need in our struggle to express our convictions, there is someone online who shares our vision.
We enjoy infinite connectivity through social media, but I strongly disagree that we are better connected. Our limitless connectivity has greatly diminished the quality of our relationships. The value of an embrace has been usurped by the melancholy loneliness of a video clip that touches our heart, but little else. And therein lies the irony of our modern-day connectivity! We are lonelier than ever as we’ve become more isolated from the people we need to love!
We need to re-connect with the people that matter!
The value of connection is not founded in the number of connections we can make, but the quality of the connections that we MUST make! Our personal success is dependent on its connections. And that starts from the inside and expands on outwards. The renaissance of our persona starts with the re-birth of our relationship with those who are of fundamental importance; our spouse or “significant other”, our children, our family, our friend and our close relations. These are the people who directly impact the quality of our life! We need to re-connect with each and every member of our “inner circle” and reposition ourselves in perfect alignment with those we care about the most!
Next are the connections that are important to our daily existence. These are the people that influence our everyday lives. We need to re-connect with our employers, our bankers, our suppliers, our clergy, our teachers, our coaches, our mentors and our trusted advisers.
As our social circle widens and expands, we must establish connections that recognize the quality of each relationship from a perspective of gratitude and respect. Our interactions are craving for some modicum of reality. Yet we spend a good portion of our time hiding behind “user names”. How will we ever expect to create a Persona that is representative of who we want to be, when we live in anonymity and virtual reality, all compliments of our online existence!
Where is our identity?
Do we still own it?
Our persona must be able to project our identity. Others will define who we are, but they must do so on our terms! The profile of our persona will dictate these terms. We have to create a persona that does not leave interpretation to chance. The persona we project will be substantive. It cannot be whimsical or shrouded in obscurity. The ultimate value of our connections will be intrinsic and not capricious.
Oh, by the way! I do have a Twitter account, I am on Facebook and I do understand their significance and contributions. Connectivity is a great thing!
Just don’t confuse it for a personal connection!
© 2014 Allan N. Mulholland, CPC
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