As I look at the Library Day in the Life Project last week I think of all the things I could reveal if I didn’t blog as “me”. Things that might help others. Things that might show a better perspective of what I do all day. But because I’m me there are secrets I must keep. I must guard the privacy of patrons and staff. I’d also like to still have a job when I show up for work in the morning. Oh the lure of anonymity.
I have seen the flip side of anonymity. When you don’t own your words you aren’t accountable. Sure you can share so much more freely, but there is the dark side too. Unfortunately those who don’t own their words seem to always go over to the dark side. You know what I’m talking about: snark, profanity, lewdness, hatefulness, pettiness, name calling, personal attacks, ill thought out arguments and logic.
I am just as capable of swearing and snark as the next person in fact there are those who might say I excel at it. Don’t get me wrong, I love it, I’m good at it, I enjoy delivering my cutting remarks. But I don’t feel I need to do it publicly for attention.
It’s easy to talk crap when you aren’t held accountable. It takes courage and wisdom to own your words
It would be great to see an anonymous account dealing with real issues, objectively and intelligently. Instead pseudonyms just seem to bring out the worst in people.
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