Honesty in social media.

We all want to be honest and yet in the age of political correctness it no longer pays. Any statement that is not specifically PC may be twisted into the opposite. It is no longer good enough not to have unacceptable opinions- we need to actively oppose those opinions too. This is particularly true of social media where people will often vent while unaware of who may be reading.

How can we be true to ourselves and remain employed?

First of all we need to keep our employers from reading our posts in the first place. If our employer demands that we ‘friend’ him on Facebook we may have to do so, but we will then change our privacy settings so that only ‘close friends’ read our most honest posts. Never post while drunk!

Another method is to speak in a kind of code. Say what needs to be said but say it in such a way that only the intended audience receives it. This is known as the ‘dog whistle’ as most humans cannot hear the high pitched tone of a dog whistle while a dog- of course- can.

Above all, realise that an opinion, confidently and politely stated will become normal and acceptable over time. This takes courage but it the only real solution.