Privacy

[smescrater]

I’m at a cross-roads with this blog. I initially started it as a way to share my goings on in certain communities. To post insights and articles on subjects dear to my heart. In this modern world where our online personas and private habits are under the microscope, I do wonder if it’s time to wrap it up, turn out the lights and put the chairs up on the tables.

What’s prompted this is the revelation that more people I work with in the professional arenas of my life tweet and use social media, and I have made myself ridiculously easy to find. Until now, this has not been a problem, potential bosses have not tweeted or used Facebook, and so my blog has been safe from prying eyes. Now though, I’m hearing of more people I work with using twitter, and the question is starting to be asked ‘do you tweet, what is your user name?’.

Since I’m now facing redundancy, it is vitally important to present an image of professionalism to the world at large. This image does not include relationships and how I conduct them, political affiliations and ideologies, support and alliance for activists of any flavours and last but not least any sort of sexual/sensual preferences I may wish to analyse and write about.

Essentially this professional me is not me at all. He is not the same person, does not hold the same beliefs (he holds none as he’s a construct), and is focussed on his work. He’s also deathly dull, has no emotional reaction to things, and is virtually impossible for me to maintain at the best of times in the workplace, let alone online.

I’m not mainstream, I do not watch live TV, I watch TV on demand. I do not engage in fandom of mainstream sports. I do not engage in gadget buying for the sake of it, and I do not engage in consumerism for the sake of owning more stuff. I do not engage in the mainstream in a number of ways, and yet now I feel reluctant to state the obvious for a fear of what a potential employer might think.

I do offer a lot to an employer, I offer passion, intelligence, commitment and a desire to do the best job I can. I do not offer being part of the gang, part of the mainstream, part of the status quo. I have beliefs and leanings that do set me perpendicular to the norm. Does this make me a bad employee? No. It just means I’m not necessarily part of your cultural gang. My work is just as valid as anyone else’s, it is my voice that is different.

What I want is acceptance from an employer or business partner. I do not expect them to engage in my beliefs and practices, I do expect them to accept the skills and experience I offer without judging me on my personality and personal practices.

I remain torn. My urge is to hide this blog away, take it away from the prying yes of those who may employ me or my services. I cannot stop writing and sharing because that is who I am, and as much as I have already muted my words and articles already, to stop writing and publishing completely is anathema to me.

I do not ask that people understand, I simply ask that they accept. Is that so much to ask?

Mirrored from Tales of the gentleman misadventurer. Please leave comments there thank you!