Words do matter: What do online communication and Adam Lambert's lyric modification have in common?

There are still a lot of people out there who believe that the assumed anonymity of the Internet would protect them. Some go even great lengths in creating a 2nd persona so that they can speak their minds freely without fearing to get discovered.

I am not just referring to leaving rude or insulting commentaries, a behavior which I see in my job on a daily basis. I am also referring to the assumption that nobody would care or this is all one big game anyway. When the realization kicks in that words do in deed matter, then people want to hastily erase all their online traces which by then have long been picked up by Google's spiders. So it's too late!

And yet it doesn't have to be that way and it's not complicated either!

It is possible to have fun in life, on- or offline, without having to hide your true self. This is 2009. You can show who you are without the need to hurt others or the fear for rejection (this goes at least for democratic societies).

In the more than 15 years that I am professionally online, I've very well learned what I can say online and more importantly even what I want to say online. For me, it's okay to show passion and tell a little bit about myself because that's art of my life and that's what gets me going.

Somebody else who seems to stay true to himself despite some entertainment industry craziness is American Idol's Adam Lambert. Have you listened to the "Tracks of My Tears" original version from Smokey Robinson? And then Adam's Studio version with the original Motown soundtrack? He modified the lyrics slightly. They are no longer gender specific, which in a way makes him even more believable and definitely very contemporary.

It is possible to be honest and sincere and yet believable and charming! And the same is true for everybody who's socializing online be it on twitter, facebook or Fotolog. If we treat each other with respect, a lot is possible. While some might think that my thoughts here are a bit far fetched, let me tell you that this in deed is a topic that I am dealing with day by day and if it is Adam Lambert who inspires me to blog about it, so be it. It's all good.

 -- Elke

Comments

[oliver]

I believe your online persona is far too important to hide behind anonymity. You just have to be a little bit more careful, because what you're publishing can be read by anybody and it is irrevocably published in the net forever.

[Angel]

It's very important to be a careful and respectful person online ;)

Greetings :)