One of the hot topics right now out in Digital Land is the role of social media, and in particular, how it doesn’t represent real life. Well, of course it’s not real life, it’s social media. One happens out in the real world, in real time, with all its up and downs. And one is a place where people go to share certain things. Maybe the good stuff. Maybe the bad stuff. Maybe a combination of both.

On our Swashbucklers Club social media, for example, we tend to share fun, exciting, adventurous and inspirational things. Because that’s what we’re about. Do we live that life 100% of the time? Of course not? At times, a lot of effort, sacrifice and heartache goes into doing what we do. Planning, plotting, scheming, sleepless nights… all sorts of things. But we don’t share that stuff cause we just figure you guys are more interested in the cool and interesting stuff. Not the mundane goings on that make all the other stuff possible. We’re pretty sure no one wants to read stories about me putting my garbage cans out on Monday morning or what I had for dinner.

To be clear, we don’t do this to make it look like things are like that all the time for us, just because that’s the stuff we think you guys want to see. Our mission is to add a little more awesome to your day, so that’s what we try and do.

This whole issue also reminds me of the famous saying “the map is not the terrain”. It was something the scholar Korzybski said and really it’s mean to remind us that we all have stories about the things that happen. That we all have our perception of what happened and what it means, and no matter how accurate it may be, it’s still a ‘map’. Or as I prefer to call it, a ‘story’. The problem is, at times we tend to take our own stories as gospel. As 100% accurate when they almost always involved filling in some of the gaps with assumptions. Assumptions about people’s intentions and motivations. Assumptions about all kinds of things. So it really is worth remembering, your story is just that, a story. And your map is not the territory. And neither is anyone else’s – especially on social media.

So whether it’s something that’s happened in the real world, or on social media, just remember, it’s not the territory. Just a map. Maybe a comprehensive one with all sorts of details about the ups and downs. Maybe just one with the highlights.

Having said all that, and with these issues in mind, for anyone who is interested in what goes on in the gaps between reality and social media, I’ll be writing a few real life stories and the lessons I’ve learned from them. Some of the non-highlights that give you a different perspective of things. Maybe no one will be interested, and that’s fine as well, but I’ll personally be writing some more personal stories to keep things real. So if there’s anything you’d like to know, feel free to let me know.

Stay awesome.

Sputnik
Chief Swashbuckler