I’m about to start working, so lately I’ve been frightened about the prospect of people finding me on the internets. Luckily, I share the name of some Christian singer guy, but this weblog still shows up on the second page when you google my name. I don’t want to watch what I say on this weblog; I don’t want to manage my image at this young an age. I want to be as crass as I fucking want on The Chalkboard Manifesto — and I reserve the right to be offensive to anyone.
This could also be a problem if I decide to become a public figure of some sort. One cannot help but be a moron at 20 years old, and I do not want those moronic things preserved on the internets for all to see. A simple slip of judgment can be a disaster.
Things I have said can be easily taken out of context, especially when that context can sometimes be my entire life (or my personal growth during my teenage years.) I believe that people are smart enough to recognize context, but they have to be given that context in the first place. I won’t be able to defend myself.
Of course, certain public persons have recovered from much worse than I can ever do, but I do not have the skills to attempt such a recovery.
So maybe it’s best if I become anonymous, so I can do what I want to do. Alternatively, I can make this weblog private, but that doesn’t solve the Chalkboard Manifesto problem. Furthermore, there’s still the risk that information will leak out even from a private weblog. Writing under pseudonym will not sate my vanity, but that may be the price of freedom.
I’m undecided whether I should really go anonymous, but I’m certainly leaning in that direction. While it may be a tragedy to possibly erase this weblog from existence, I will at least keep records for myself.
This disappoints me on a couple of levels, Shawn.
One… do you really believe that all your prior writing won’t be found? Not to mention Google or Alexa’s caches and archives, my weblog certainly isn’t going away voluntarily, and I’ve quoted you at length there—frequently, entire posts of yours.
Two… and more importantly, you’re not willing to stand by what you’ve said or professed so far? I believe that philosophical transparency—especially in politicians or would-be politicians—is a cardinal virtue. To conceal parts of your life history because they may be a political liability for one reason, faction, or another… would I think cause one to be suspect in some way.
Never forget Bill Clinton’s deathless words: “I didn’t inhale.” He uttered those ridiculous words knowing there wouldn’t be a way to disprove it… as he didn’t write down chapter and verse of that episode in his life. Nevertheless, its bogosity is transparent, yes? The moral: one might as well characterize one’s life accurately, and for the record.