Street Gossip

Just because it's public, still doesn't make it my business.

I’ve destroyed and rebuilt my online presence at least four times. I’ve used different usernames, UnknownBlackMale having the greatest run, what a time. Then I embraced a different approach. I started using my real name, real photo and I stopped policing how others use social media. It has kept me accountable, when I Am mindful (but not really) of what I post I reduce the risk of my future baby mama seeing me turning up with a bunch of hose. It has also kept those hiding behind avatars and fake names away from me. People are emboldened behind cyber masks to make rude, insensitive, and vile comments.

The point of social media is to be social.

Once things are posted into the ether, people begin to critique, judge, lament, hate, ask questions, and comment. Apparently, it is their right to do so if your post is public, or you’ve “approved” their request to connect to your private profile.

No. It is not.

We share what we want to share. We can share a lot. But what we choose to share does not necessarily become a doorway for further prying. I keep things light on the gram and the tikker tokker- posting food, drinks, outdoors, driving and shoes/socks. Considering the frequency of my post there is a lot I do not share. However, I do covertly share more intimate things here on this blog. Why? Because I find that the nosiest people have no time to wade through paragraphs, explanations, and sources in a blog post as they can by an animated update on social media. Honestly, I could write whatever I want here and the people I wouldn't want to know about it would never see it anyway.

The presence of something in public does not allow the permission of further prying. Who, what, when, where and why is always none of my business unless someone decides to reveal it.

I Am