Five social media tips from the Classical World
Because we didn’t really invent anything.
I have been working in social media and TV for almost seven years but I owe the basis of all I know and the guidelines of my professional life to the love for Classical Studies as a teenager and a college student. I’ve put down a short and unpretentious list of concepts and principles that I consider to be universal and tried to apply them to social media.
1) Kalos kaghatos: the importance of beauty
Simply put: what looks beautiful is certainly good. This concept is one of the pillars of Greek culture and was applied to everything: politics, sports, literature... The equivalent in Latin is: «Mens sana in corpore sano» (A healthy mind in a healthy body). Ensure that your content is appealing, double check it for any typos, set a great preview for when you share it on social platforms. French author Stendhal said: «La beauté n’est qu’une promesse de bonheur» (Beauty is nothing but a promise of happiness). You not only need to promise that your content is good but also that it won’t be a waste of people’s time. Bad aesthetics equals zero respect for the reader.
2) Chronos and kairos: time and timing
The ancient Greeks had a different concept of time than ours: Χρόνος (Chronos) was clock time, sequential time (the reason why it’s capitalized it’s because Chronos was the personification of time). Then there was καιρός (kairos), the “perfect time”, the supreme moment in which something special happens. Why does this matter to people who produce content online? Today Chronos is less important than kairos. Have good content ready on time and seed it at the right moment. Avoid scheduling because it’s a potential boomerang.
3) The myth of Narcissus: vanity is not sexy
Narcissus was a wonderful young boy whose beauty was universally acknowledged. He would spend the whole day looking at the reflection of his image in a lake, admiring every single feature of his face and constantly pondering on the amazingness of his self. When you RT or share content that celebrates yourself for any specific reason, think twice. Would you run around in a public square shouting how gorgeous and fabulous you are, reading out aloud all the compliments that people give you? Probably not. Refrain from doing it online as well, because it’s annoying and, frankly, we don’t care.
4) Know thyself: questions are better than answers
«ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΑΥΤΟΝ» was inscribed in the forecourt of the famous temple of Apollo at Delphi, where visitors were able to meet with the visionary priestess of the Greek god, son of Zeus, and ask them questions about their future. It was an invitation to explore one’s mind and limits and to understand one’s place in the world. Don’t feel the urge to pontificate on everything. Look into yourself, be curious but don’t pretend to be an expert or to have the truth in your hands. «Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.» said once Plato. And let’s not forget the most important socratic maxima: «I know that I don’t know». There’s no greater freedom than admitting that you don’t have an answer for everything; asking good questions is more important.
5) Carpe diem: enjoy the moment
Catch the moment. Live the moment to the fullest, said the ancient Romans. Social broadcasting platforms such as Twitter are real-time, public and conversational and they allow you to follow any live event and feel like you’re part of it even if it’s unfolding miles away from where you are. This offers fantastic opportunities but also reminds us that we must think twice before we post anything on a whim. It’s important to know that social media is an extension of our persona and we must follow the same behavioral rules we apply to our offline life.
