Isn’t technology great? With the ease of composing an email, we have the opportunity to communicate with thousands of people at a time. I check the Facebook and MySpace pages of the girls in my small group regularly just to see what’s going on in their lives. Technology allows us to spread information rapidly and efficiently. Everything is quick and simple – most of the time.
However, due to my recent entry into the blogosphere, I’ve been thinking a lot about the very real possibilities for disaster associated with this quick and easy form of communication. One misplaced keystroke or word omitted could have potentially devastating results. To quote Peter Parker (aka Spiderman), “With great power comes great responsibility.”
I thought I’d take an opportunity to pose a few simple guidelines for technological etiquette.
Don’t type anything you wouldn’t say. Sometimes the anonymity that the cyberworld allows us causes us to be bolder (or ruder) than we would be in person-to-person interaction. In actuality, things that we write or type can last much longer than things we speak. If you (better yet – Jesus) wouldn’t say it, then don’t type or text it.
Proofread. Read through comments, emails, blogs, etc., not only to check for typos, but also to ensure you’re saying exactly what you mean and you’re communicating clearly. Keep in mind that things you type don’t carry the same voice inflection or body language that you are able to use to communicate in face-to-face interaction. Remember: TYPING IN ALL CAPS IS EQUIVALENT TO YELLING IN NORMAL SPEECH.
Don’t respond while you’re angry. If you receive a message that upsets you, log off the computer, go outside, take a walk, read a book, take a moment to pray, then come back and respond. Once you send an email out of anger, you can’t take it back.
Log off from time to time. Sending an email can be quick and simple, but emailing, instant messaging, or text messaging (don’t get me started on cell phone etiquette) will never be as personal as sending an encouraging note through the snail mail, meeting someone for face-to-face conversation over lunch, or even picking up the phone and having a conversation. The computer is great, but sometimes I miss having actual conversations. Take some time to step away from the computer and have an actual conversation with another human being.
Blog ≠ Journal. Your blog should not be your personal journal. What you post can be read by just about anyone. Blogs are a great place to share thoughts and feelings, which can be very encouraging for others going through similar circumstances, but don’t post anything you wouldn’t be comfortable being sharing in normal conversation. There is such a thing as being too transparent. Be cautious about mentioning other people in your blog. The other people in your life may not be as exuberant as you are to share every detail of your personal life with the world.
Now, let’s go and make the cyberworld a better place!