Sliding further under the radar
I created a new email address today, and re-wired everything vaguely related to “Recursive Words” to it. Yahoo, Google, Twitter, Tumblr, Blogger, Pinterest, and Instagram now exist in their own bubble for me – distinct and disconnected from the “professional” me that companies, agents, headhunters, and clients may well search for online.
I should have done this a long time ago.
I'm not about to post anything explosive, defamatory, or slanderous (I'm pretty sure I mentioned this yesterday). It's kind of like creating my own “dark net” – somewhat hidden from the gaze of the many and various stalkers that watch the internet from afar.
And finally I stumble upon something to write about. The watchers. I have been thinking about writing this post for some time, but may as well begin spilling my thoughts now.
There are many kids of people on the internet, using the internet in all sorts of ways. Some embrace the communities, and dive head long into the morass, while others choose a select few to keep in touch with, and keep the rest of the mayhem at arms length. There's this other group though. They are everywhere, and yet nowhere. They watch the world go by, read everything, and yet say nothing. They do make mistakes though.
While you and I might share all manner of thoughts, ideas, and opinions in a variety of different places online, the watchers share nothing. Over time you forget they are out there, until one day they happen to comment on something, and you realise they know more than they're letting on.
I'm not sure if I agree, or disagree with this kind of behaviour on the internet. Those of us who write blogs are obviously putting content out there in the public domain for anybody to read. It seems unfair in some ways that people should be able to consume without contributing.
A comment, email, or instant message from time to time saying “I read that thing you wrote – totally agree (or totally disagree!)”, would be so much better than the silent vigil...