This morning I read an e-newsletter I subscribe to called "Art Matters". It's from art consultant Aletta de Wal whose business, Artist Career Training, offers lots of good insights into the business of art.
Today I was reading an article on this month's Featured Artist, photographer Bruce K. Haley, Jr. You can read the article here:
http://www.artistcareertraining.com/featuredartist.asp
Bruce is doing a lot to build his photography biz. But one sentence in particular jumped out at me:
"Remember that everything you do today is laying a solid foundation for tomorrow."
I actually misread it as, "...everything you SAY today...."
Why would that ring a bell for me? And why would I be inspired by what someone DIDN'T say?
Because what I thought I read, is very true. Sometimes it's what we DON'T say that helps us build our career. Today, more than ever, you must be careful what you SAY in public, especially on the internet.
I don't mean Big Brother is watching. I don't mean you can't have strong opinions or express yourself however you see fit.
I DO mean that whatever you say on-line, whether it's in a public or private forum, or in an e-mail, or in a blog, or on your website, is going to be around for a very, very long time.
It's a concept many, many people don't get.
I know people who have sabotaged their own efforts to get teaching gigs because of their behavior in public forums. They call it "speaking their mind" and "being blunt". Well, calling people names or saying they're stupid is NOT something that will go away once that thread has drawn to a close. Not only will people remember--they will be able to find it for years to come. And they will be able to PROVE you did, indeed, say those terrible things.
Even attempts to get an administrator to delete the offensive post isn't going to help. Sometimes they can't, and even if they can, that page is still cached and stored for anyone to pull up at a later time. I still find Google hits from pages that are years old.
I know people who have posted anonymously to forums. They do it so they can "speak their mind" with no repercussions. Some even post under psuedonyms to their own threads to artificially boost their topic's views. (It's called "astroturfing.")
Unfortunately, since they had to register under their real name, guess how "anonymous" they really are?
I don't mind people who have professional reasons to remain anonymous. I DO have issues with people who use that strategy to be obnoxious, antagonistic and manipulative.
I know people who have been abusive in private e-mails, who may not realize that e-mail is not very private at all. I know people who have cut and pasted e-mails to try to strong-arm someone into giving them something they want (for example, someone who SAID an organization had hired him, and "proved it", when actually they had not.) They don't realize all those original e-mails are stored and available for closer scrutiny. Or they DO know it, but they don't think anyone else does. (The strong-armer doesn't know it, but he has been banned from that organization for all eternity....)
I've seen people who are hurt or angry, who feel they have been wronged, who air their grievances in great detail in blogs or in discussion groups. They don't realize that it's entirely possible the "offending party" can do the same thing to THEM.
You CAN have opinions, you CAN have disagreements, you CAN express yourself fully. We have the right of free speech.
But you must also be aware that words you write in anger, frustration or deception can come back to haunt you. They can work against you.
You CAN share your bad experiences with others. But remember if you say something that is not true, there are legal issues.
And remember there are often two sides to every story. At LEAST two sides. While you may feel justified in your side, we've all learned that there are people who leave their goat out so others can get it easily.
Conversely, consider your internet presence as a visible resume. Just as your "bad spots" are open and transparent, so are your good spots. If you try to conduct yourself consistently in a professional manner, THAT will be highly apparent, too. If you try to be fair in your dealings, that will be noticed.
It's not about self-imposed censorship. It's about choosing your words carefully, knowing they are going to be memorable.
Just remember that, like fire, Google can light up your life, or cause third-degree burns.
