i.e. You might know that I changed my Twitter handle a few times, but the reasons behind it might not be clear unless we have a really close friendship. I ended up going *back* to the online handle I have now, cloverdew, which most of my Twitter friends think of as “new”… but is actually the online name I've had for over 15 years, since I got my first AOL account back when we had dial-up. Just a fun fact.

You make very valid points, Lauren, and ones that I've been guilty of in the past (probably still am, to some degree).

It's why I smile when I see the opposite spectrum, if you like. Folks that will jump in and defend someone, when I know full well the unethical crap that someone has just spouted.

Love is blind but the Internet often never ever opens the eyeballs…

Great post, Flerdy.

I find myself in a personal social media “re-branding/re-inventing” phase. Part of that is possibly the fact that who I am was confusing via social media. In the last year and a half while some people thought I was consulting/freelancing on my own (which I was slightly) I've been trying to nail down a full-time social media job. Which thankfully I recently landed. But I don't think anyone really understood that. Only a few select people knew I was job searching. So its weird because I wonder maybe I was hiding certain information in order to not be shown in a specific light. Are others doing this? Are we all doing that on some certain level in the social media realm?

On that same token, I feel like sometimes I've tried to reach out to those in social media who I enjoy following, reading their blogs and interacting with and more than once I've received the brush off. (Back to that high school/judgmental mentality) I'm the type of person that is open to everyone, loves meeting new people and making new friends. So its never fun getting ignored which is usually the time I'll give up on that person. Maybe a brush off here, snide remark there, unanswered DM or email, etc.

And then why do we always have to draw the line at “too much information”. I know that if I'm following a brand or even a person I want to feel some sort of personal connection. If I want to share a tweet from my wedding day, I should be able to. Or give my two cents in a professional chat one moment and share with my followers the fact as a new Yankee to the south, there are some things I realize are very different. So maybe I'd like to point them out.

Why does it have to be such a fine line?

And as my social media persona is probably very confusing so was this comment. So I apologize I think I jumped around a lot.

Interested to see the rest of the conversation. I feel like it could take off!

It is a somewhat bizarre phenomenon when people are the most exposed they have ever been yet we continually lower our validation expectations. But is it all bad? Is it a sign that we are trusting one another more or simply becoming too lazy to do our research?

I personally think we are in an age of “I want it yesterday”. It's not always bad but some people will always ridicule that particular attitude. We are continually trying to find shortcuts for the better, walking -> cars, hunting/gathering -> supermarkets, rubbing sticks to make fire -> oven's and microwaves.

In many ways we put a bigger emphasis on past experience than future potential. Maybe we find more comfort in experience because we can measure it. Do we back the person that is best in the camp at rubbing sticks to make fire? Or do we back the person that believes there is a better way to make fire and is trying to make it happen but is yet to succeed?

I completely agree that online relationships *can* grow into offline relationships, but that is truly something special that is more indicative of a real chemistry/connection than something attainable in every relationship.

It is also fair to acknowledge that some times there are practical matters in play as well, such as age and marital differences. These prevent deeper levels of engagement beyond only online, professional interactions or meetups at industry gatherings/conferences. The ultimate goal of some relationships can only be friendly, business acquaintance. Starting out focusing on bringing value to them rather than sizing them up or forecasting future engagement is a more genuine way of approaching relationships in my estimation.

Reading some of your other posts and am enjoying your writing. No wonder you write for MarketingProfs! #goodstuff