As the Director of Business Anthropology, I remain a consummate student of all people, demographics, cultures, and technology; with only the utmost respect for all individuals and life on this planet. As a citizen of the world and a professional who does business globally; I choose a path of “professionalism“ at all times, only providing value within my areas of expertise and staying within a limited digital footprint. Furthermore, I am not an “expert” on “everything.”
Many “experts” in society have very specialized skill sets and knowledge. Unfortunately, their “roles” have moved far beyond their expertise; to where they are being consulted to provide amateur opinions on complex matters outside the realm of their expertise.
How can a carpenter justify their choice of screws & nails, to people who know NOTHING of carpentry; especially if that carpenter is being accused of wrongdoing by lawyers & politicians whose auditory language skills exceed that of the carpenter, but wouldn’t know cedar from pine?
Moreover, the consensus of like-minded “experts” on matters beyond their expertise has emboldened many “experts” and other professionals in specialized fields...TO IMAGINE that “their” perceptions axiomatically are the difference between the “enlightened” and “dumb.” An inflated sense of hubris.
Within “like-minded groups,” the consensus of the “group” on a “new idea” depends on “what that group already believes.” Those pre-existing ideals held by “said group” say NOTHING about the validity of that idea or its effectiveness in the external world.
Additionally, within societies the anointed elite and ”intellectuals“ are not held to the same “standards.“ If the economist makes incorrect predictions, society will say they had a bad year. If a structural engineer designs a building that collapses resulting in injury & death; good chance that structural engineer will be held responsible or at least have to take some responsibility. But what of the economist whose horrible predictions & advice caused folks to lose their entire savings, go bankrupt, or commit suicide? The economist just had an “off year.”
One social networking platform I participate within for professional reasons; i.e. to “network” with other professionals is LinkedIn. Recently, I discussed how “not” every political happening or news event requires an individual’s commentary to be voiced & forever crystallized within the web content of various social networking platforms. Whether one is “politically” left, right, up or down; LinkedIn is a great platform to remain professional.
Below for contextual reasons is my original post, which received comments from other “professionals” only aimed to directly assassiniate my character and damage my reputation by insulting everything from my race to educational background.
As working professionals navigating uncertain & tumultuous times within a diverse collective of colleagues;
Where ideas, thoughts, & opinions are polarized, charged, & distilled into heartless hashtags coined around groupthink & cognitive dissonance...
Where every person feels obligated to speak up & speak out about “their” beliefs & truths which have been largely shaped by their individual human experiences...
LinkedIn is a great platform to remain professional. Whether you are left, right, up, or down; it is unwise to post & share your political beliefs in such a setting. Not only is it unprofessional; it is inappropriate.
Many other platforms are far better suited for such discourse. Not everything needs to be echoed across multiple channels; it doesn’t contribute to the potency of the message, nor further validate its importance & significance. Only contributes to the chaos & noise; & can potentially tarnish your professional relationships.
Additionally, not every political happening or news event requires your commentary to be voiced & forever crystallized within the web content of various social networking platforms.
Let’s work together in building greater measures of success, & use the challenges & tragedies of today as opportunities to be & do “better.”
Business Anthropology, Inc. has a proprietary service called “DigiScape.” Many individuals and corporations have content on the Internet, that was created by themselves or another party, which is nonetheless a liability potentially damaging their reputation or limiting their future opportunities. DigiScape cleans up and refines their digital footprint, in many cases permanently deleting or minimizing the visibility of any and all potentially dangerous content.
The behavior of those in both the physical world and now social networks who “follow” the vision of an “anointed elite” has long included certain societal patterns. This anointed elite consists, but is not limited to popular and unpopular cultural voices, artists, journalists, movie stars, politicians, athletes, religious leaders, captains of industry, and now “social media influencers.”
“They” tend to see themselves as advocates of “change” and their opponents as the defenders of the “status quo.” Or “they” are preserving something cherished and sacred, and opponents are a threat to their very existence and way of life.
The behaviors the anointed elite and their legions of advocates, fans, followers, protestors, lobbyists and sheeple REFLECT “attitudes” rather than “principles.” They often see issues in terms of crusades & their vision as something to protect, at ALL costs, even if that means keeping it sealed inside a bubble where discordant facts cannot harm it. Furthermore, anything that challenges their viewpoints and beliefs are dismissed as anything ranging from “stupid” to “manipulating data,” to “not being able to understand” because someone is not a particular gender or race, to “conspiracy.”
Deciding NOT to discuss personal political, societal, and religious views in a very public and permanent forum does not logically equate to a person being “silent,” “indifferent,” “ignorant,” “privileged,” or “racist.” Discussing and commenting on every social happening on LinkedIn in the eyes of some might make an individual look like part of a club, on the right side of history, a preserver of values, or social warrior. To others that individual or entity may appear to be just as absurd as someone discussing their necessity to “knock on wood” along with other superstitions. As a professional who has been in academic, corporate, and community arenas around the world for over two decades, I urge you to “think” about your digital footprint; especially that which you share on LinkedIn as an individual or corporate entity.