I’m Over The Oversharing
Keeping your life special in a social media world.
How long should one wait before they tell their family or friends they are seriously invested in a relationship? What about when to first put that picture of you with that person on social media? How about that intimate moment between your kids that you caught on your camera phone or the photo of your parents hugging in the front yard when they thought they were alone? What about your own body? Should the world get to see the curves of your breast or your fingers just inside the band of your underwear? Should you publish that story about the way your partner likes to slip inside your body?
There are many reasons to share a life with others not directly involved in creating that life. I know several people who have used the act of revelation to conquer long held insecurities, grieve immeasurable loss or keep far away loved ones in the loop of their lives. But in a culture now dominated by social media, sharing has gone from a intentional effort to a knee jerk reaction, and maybe even a pathology. This leaves me with the essential question of whether something loses its sacredness when it’s shared with everyone, instead of the few people experiencing it.
