No More Social Chameleons!

Thanks to social media, people are no longer able to be social chameleons. This means they cannot adapt and camouflage their personalities in an attempt to appeal to their different social circles. Chapter 6, “Death of Social Schizophrenia,” delves into this topic and points out that people reserve different personalities for different groups of people. For instance, your behavior and personal presentation at the office may be a sharp contrast from how you act at the bar on the weekend. Social media has forced those with inconsistent personalities to become more aware of their actions. All it takes is one damaging post, picture, or video to tarnish a reputation. As important as this is for the general population, companies now must present one, consistent persona as well. Social media demands clear and concise messages from companies that define who they are and what sets them apart. In general, I like this idea because it causes companies to get to the bottom line. They can no longer dance around issues and hide behind fancy commercials when trying to attract consumers.

All in all, this chapter was easy to identify with because we’ve all seen social chameleons in action. I agree that social media is causing these chameleons to go extinct. These days, people not only have to watch what they post about themselves, but they must watch what others around them are doing. Smart phones allow people to point, shoot, and post others’ behavior in a matter of seconds. As discussed in the chapter, the UNC basketball player, Tyler Hansbrough, found this out the hard way after a video of him jumping off a three story house into a pool surfaced. In general, it is difficult to segment your life and hide who you truly are. Social sites are breaking down these walls and causing more transparency among the population. I believe people must think twice and be smart about what they post, but still be true to themselves.

Are you guilty of social schizophrenia? Step back and look at your social media profile from a third person point of view. Do you believe your profile accurately represents who you are? Is the image you’re portraying one that you’re proud of?