to post or not to post
All organisations have an internal collaboration space such as Workplace, Yammer, MySource Social or insert the tool you use in your workplace. These spaces are used for broadcasting announcements, recognising a peer's achievement and much more. You will find all sorts of folks posting content in such forums. Some do so to share knowledge, and a few to gain 'visibility', i.e., the subtle currency for climbing the corporate ladder.
I get excited when I read good content on the web. If you see my Twitter feed (@_adipatil), you will understand why I love sharing so much. I personally feel it is an extension of who I am. Sometimes I am so excited while I am in the middle of reading a [good article] (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/12/06/the-bell-curve) that I cannot wait to share it with the world. I know that defeats the purpose of reading in the first place, but that's who I am. When folks read what I share and give me the validation I am seeking (through comments and likes), I get a great, temporary sense of joy. So much so that I keep looking for it even when there is no longer any scope.
I guess millennials and validation are inseparable.
And when you overshare, your contribution tends to be taken for granted. The value it delivers diminishes, and by virtue of it, the validation stops coming. Amid all the average (perceived value) content you post, the good-quality content is also ignored because of the "Hey, this guy keeps posting random stuff" syndrome.
Nobody listens when you are not 'successful ', but when you have the luxury of success behind you, everybody wants to retweet you!
Does that mean we stop sharing because no one will consume? Or do we keep sharing because that's who you are?
I have stopped sharing in my workplace (On Facebook). Unless, of course, it is a must-read piece, in which case I just go ahead notwithstanding my concerns.
I am somewhere between "I don't care if people consume my content or not, I just want it to be useful to at least one person" and "I need validation to survive in this big bad world".
Validation, why are you so sticky?
Wouldn't it be great if you could post without worrying about what people think of you? You only posted and did not care what happened to the post. Did it engage the audience? Did it provoke interest? Does this share make me look smart?
In an ideal world, the question "To post or not to post" shouldn't even be a question! Let alone a blog post! Argh.