Still, the fact that life online can occasionally surprise and delight us points us towards the truth: it’s not the Internet itself that leads to pathologies like cyber-bullying, spam and identity theft. Rather it’s our decision — individually and collectively — to separate the Internet from the context, norms and experience that guide human behavior. It’s our decision to engage in online interaction as if it were fundamentally different from offline conversation. It’s our decision to label the Internet as something — anything! — other than real life.

- from “10 Reasons to Stop Apologizing for Your Online Life” by Alexandra Samuel.

The bottom line is this: If I’m true to myself online as well as off, I’m acknowledging every interaction I have is real.  I feel like I’m deeply disrespecting all my friends if I label my online friends as – well, online friends.  “Online” becomes a disclaimer instead of a description.

My blog is, and has always been, what I really think and feel.  Why should anything else in my life be any different, whether it takes place with the help of a computer or not?  More often than not, when I write, it’s on my laptop instead of in my notebook; it’s just easier to write it once instead of twice.  Does that make my words any less authentic?

Maybe it’s time I stop making excuses for the work – and yes, writing IS work – I do online, and start acting like I’m proud of it.  Maybe I should stop worrying about how many friends I have, and start being a better friend myself.

After all, my life is my life no matter where or how it happens.

For more great advice, read Focus Your Attention Online, also by Alexandra Samuel.

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I always thought I was a part of Generation X.  In case you were wondering, that “is the generation born after the baby boom ended, ranging from 1961 to 1981.” (Wikipedia)  That makes me an early Gen-Xer – and no, please don’t do the math.

Still, I kept wondering if there wasn’t some kind of mistake.  After all, people have always told me I don’t seem as old as I am.  Then I found this.  It’s a test to determine what generation you’re actually a part of by what media you use.  Like I figured, I’m actually in Generation Y!  Take the test, and see where you are.

How do you feel about it?

Photo by Chris Lott

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