Life Online
The Must Do’s, Pros and Cons of Internet Existence
Designed to addict, implemented to advertise, and available to all, social media consumes and is consumed by the user. Without question, it brings tremendous good and detriment to the human animal.
I get STOKED when I see a friend start up a new channel or start posting about things that fire them up, aka. “Building a brand”. This news excites me, but I can’t help but think they are embarking on a slippery slope down Mt. Everest.
So… Is it for everybody?
New Reality
Work is changing. The only constant is change. The rapid destruction of old jobs is accompanied by new avenues for wealth creation.
The widespread smart phone and internet availability is drastically changing the game. There are countless platforms to conduct business through, express yourself, and entertain.
The Brand
Our avatar lives online. Behind this avatar lies our brand. Content can market for you, entertain for you, sell for you, network for you, and teach for you all while you sleep.
“Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time.” -Elon Musk
“Your brand is just a lagging indicator of who you are.” — Naval Ravikant
Sure, one does not need an online presence to be succcessful, but it can definitely help (or hinder) one scale.
A college professor first instructed me to “build your brand” during my junior year in college (2014). At this point in my life, I was thinking how could my brand match up with anything in the business world? I don’t like accounting, admin, management, or any of my classes so what’s the point.
I thought social media was for keeping up with friends and for the occasional person showing off. The showoffs invoked a little jealousy and I would never post. Hindsight reveals that this was a pretty lame way of looking at things.
I thought that in order to be hired, I’d have to portray some sort of image. Boy was I WRONG. I ended up pursuing modeling and acting. Pictures and videos of things I like to do and experiences I’ve had are my resume. They provide proof of work, existence, skill, and experience. Strangely enough, all resumes and professions are seriously aided by such evidence.
Humans are unique, and our brand is a lagging indicator of who we are. There’s a corner of the internet for everyone. And if it doesn’t exist yet, it definitely needs your creation.
I’ve decided to opt into the game. Opting in stirs the pot. It creates more luck with the random cyber interactions, and I’ve come to like being an open book on the internet. It comes with it’s ups and downs, and I’ve learned a ton along the way.
Musts
Entertain Thyself — Is creating the content fun, or does it drive more people to you or your service so that you can entertain yourself more?
Detach- Mean comments? Trolls? Pffftttt who cares, you do this for you.
Detach — Likes, following, engagement, and your internet persona matters, BUT your presence in real life matters more.
Be Aware — Monitor your time on social, your habits. Are you picking up your phone and mindlessly opening up an app? Or are you there to learn, be entetained, and or inspired. Can’t let the algorithms win!
Know Your Why — Ps. It can change (and probably will) Find your Why! Right answers = Infinite. Could be doing it all just for fun. What’s wrong with that? Love this → https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en
Stay Relevent — Good luck.
To stay relevant — not just economically, but above all socially — you will need the ability to constantly learn and to reinvent yourself, certainly at a young age like 50. — Yuval Noah Harari
We have so much to learn from each other..
Pros of Internet Existence :
Networking — You get to see what people are up to without actually seeing them. “Nice to e-meet you!”
Creativity — With all the varying outlets, it’s possible to display your art in ways that did not use to be possible. Which is… Fun?
Community- It gives the ability to find like-minded people to learn from, connect with, and possibly work with!
That Internet Money- Ya it’s a thing, and going to be more of a thing. Go find that internet money.
Cons of Internet Existence:
Comparison — There’s always going to be someone better than you in some aspect. Fugghetaboutit.
Addiction — Ya it’s addicting. It’s supposed to be. Gotta stay hip right? Up to you to do the work in order to figure out how to control it.
Negative Feedback — OUCH!! Why does some random avatar on the internet have so much powere=?!? Good thing you’re not doing it for the rando, you’re doing it for you, right?
Time-Consuming- It really is. And then there’s the editing, the responding, the random messaging, and the keeping up with the you know whos. I guess it’s better than hunting and gathering right?…..
Privacy Concerns- Ya we are all screwed. Idk.
Creepers — They’re out there. They find a way. Once you’re out there it’s a possibility. Beware, be wise.
Final Thoughts
We’re all works in progress (I hope). Just because you said something once doesn’t mean you need to stick to that forever. There is a delete button. You evolve, your mind changes, perspective shifts, and your social can as well.
Consumption fills a short term need. It’s a distraction, a dopamine hit. Production/creation makes you learn and get better.
We aren’t born with a desire to check Instagram. But we are born with a desire to fit into the tribe and contribute to society. Social allows you to create your own tribe too!
I have such a limited scope on things. I do my best to expand my perspective and see things from all angles, but I’m only me. I’m very curious about what the widespread availability and access to the internet will do for people. It contains everything to know about anything, but it also has the power to consume..
Social media and employment is often a tricky conundrum. Employment provides security and many other benefits. And then there’s this point of view…
Another time
One question I grapple with.. Does art need to be shared? Some like their bubble and privacy. Virtue is what you do when nobody is looking. Art exists when nobody is looking.
Can everybody be a creator? Aka a contractor, not bound to employment? Not everybody will want this kind of lifestyle, but is creating for yourself actually providing the most good for humanity/will there always be a product/market fit?
