Despite all of the warnings, people are still posting drunken college and university photographs on Facebook. They are still making their lives and activity public. And irrespective of how many times my generation shakes their collective fingers or foretells disaster and unemployment for these perpetrators, they continue to post.
I have to admit, I have lent my voice to the warnings as much as my next contemporary. However, reading Shel Holz’s recent post about Facebook photographs did make me stop and think. Is it just that we are living with the residue of a different time and a different set of beliefs? In 10 or 20 years time, perhaps those photographs won’t make a single iota of difference to your job application, because, as Shel says, the people making the decisions will also have their photographs on Facebook, and it will no longer even figure in their decision making process.
I can’t predict the future. And, not having children at the moment, I don’t profess to understand how teenagers today view their world (I never imagined being old enough to say that!) I do think that Shel is probably right. Look at how things have changed already. At the beginning of last century, it would have been inappropriate to be seen drunk in public, or to show excessive affection for your partner in public, or to breastfeed in public. Now, these things are so commonplace that no-one questions them. My generation may see it as inappropriate to post drunken photographs of yourself in a public space, but who’s to say that that won’t be seen as commonplace in the future?
I do wonder, though, whether there will always be certain industries which won’t accept the new, unabashed openness? The legal profession, perhaps? Childcare? How about the police force? I am thinking of those industries which are heavily judged by the public. Although the person making the decision on the job might be OK with indiscreet imagery, is this the right impression that they will be wanting to deliver to their critical public? Although my generation may not be responsible for employing, we will still be buying, voting and speaking out.
I don’t think there are going to be hard and fast rules for everyone. Irrespective of the shift in society, there are still people who don’t think public affection or breastfeeding in public is appropriate. And there will always be people who don’t think drunken Facebook photos are appropriate, even if they are from years before. It is dangerous to overgeneralize. I still stand by my mantra that if you wouldn’t be happy for your Mum to see it, don’t post it or post it privately. Is it really something you are going to be proud of when you are married with children and going for that promotion?
Thank you to Loving Earth for the image
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Tags: employment, future, teenagers
