We have always seen news on how employees get into trouble on social media when they click submit without given much thoughts. My first thought always be the fault of the employees. But is it really? Social media as I have written before is a two-edged sword. On one hand, we can use it in a good way to keep in touch with friends and loved ones but on the other hand, having your words repost, again and again, sharing out perhaps your thoughts at that moment, is kinda a scary thing.
Words, when used carelessly, can hurt. A Chinese common saying “饭可以乱吃，话不能乱讲。” which means you may eat all sorts of food but you can’t say anything you want. It used to be words are malicious as gossips can travel from mouth to ears but now, it is the digital words that travels and spread, not unlike a virus attack. Maybe that’s why they have a term for viral post.
Celebrities used to fear so much that their words get twisted by unruly and unprofessional reporters. Now it is more likely the backlash they get when they post anything sensitive or insensible. Let’s take the recent case of Kim Kardashian as she posted the nearly nude pic of herself on her Instagram, celebrating women’s right on International Women’s Day. Some defended it is her right as it is her body and we should mind our business while some say it is shameless and she is setting a bad example for youths. I’m not going to take sides, neither am I going to ask you to, but take a moment and think, what if she was a kindergarten teacher or a social worker instead, would it make it right? Would she have been fired for that post?
What goes wrong is when even one’s social media is private and he or she made a thoughtless or senseless statements like racism or bigamist comments, as long as one of his or her ‘friends’ retweet or repost the comment, Wham! It gets picked up, became viral and blown out of proportion.
So who’s fault is it? I guess by this time, it’s too late to pursue who’s at fault. But the brute of the fault is carried by on the shoulder by the person who posted the comment, not the person who repost or retweet the comment.
Asked yourself if your job, your piece of mind and your family’s is worth the post before you click submit. Is it worth just for that 10mins glory of social media fame before the next controversial post hit the waves? Does the controversy defines who you are as a person? If no, don’t do it. It’s not worth it. Remember that drunken picture of yours or that racist rant about your Chinese boss is going to stay in the web and on the search engine for years to come even if you delete the post.
Do you agree with the above? Food for thoughts? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
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