Here’s an attempt to try to define this blog and what I’m doing here. I would love to give you my word that  nothing communist will appear on this blog, but after some of the topics that were covered in my module on Multiculturalism, I don’t think I could make good on that promise.

I digress. The definition fits: “a public declaration of intentions”.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61683005@N00/565924862

In this first iteration of my attempt to define online professionalism I will simply expand on what I wrote earlier.

There were two guidelines I operated under:

1. Don’t use real names
2. Don’t post anything I wouldn’t want sent as an all-users email

I can see clearly how they stifled my last blog: they are “donts”, negative rules.

Let’s try this again:

1. Don’t use real names. Share my blog with people that I work with. Not that I expect to use this in any capacity related to my job, but because I don’t want to feel like I’m hiding anything from anyone.
2. Don’t post anything I wouldn’t want sent as an all-users email. I need to be excited about the fact that all-users can see what I write rather than cowed. When I post something onto this blog, I’m saying that it’s an idea worth sharing. If I post it here, I’m standing behind it (until someone comes along to show me, duh, why I’m wrong).

…is this enough? It doesn’t feel like it. I don’t like how open-ended and messy this sounds. But I can’t seem to find anything better anywhere else, yet.

I’ll have to come back to it. For now, thanks to all the blogs I’ve read, and in particular thanks to Karl Fisch and Konrad Glogowski, whose words seem to most match what I feel is appropriate.

2 Responses to “Manifesto”

1. Damian says:

   26 August 2009 at 02:06

   What do you feel you’re missing? I think these are good rules to blog by. I had to chuckle when I read, “Share my blog with people that I work with”, because after working at my current school for 8 months (and blogging steadily for 2 years), I only just today mentioned my blog to my friends at lunch, and it felt /weird/. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel a bit of a weirdo mixing “t’Internet” and “IRL”, especially with people who I know are not involved in blogging or online communities other than a bit of Facebook. I half expect the reaction, “You blog? Why?” which then obligates an answer, which, in my experience, leads to either blank looks or an inquisition, and I’m not sure which is worse.

   But that’s just my hang-up, I guess. Oh, and don’t worry about open-ended and messy. Open-ended and messy is good. Kind of like learning.

   Reply
   • Jeff Pierce says:

     3 September 2009 at 14:54

     Hmm. I don’t know if I expect the two worlds to mix much. One reason for being open about it at work is that I want to cover my back and let my supervisors know about this blog, in the off chance that anything on here is misread by someone.

     If I do that, I feel that I can be more free and authentic here on this blog. I’ve got nothing to hide if my work colleagues know that this blog exists.

     Reply