The world has gone beyond its vintage analogue structure, which requires physical form of interactions. Due to digitalization such boundaries no longer exist, a phenomenon that lead to the birth of entities such as social media which has become a global trend. Social media and other converged entities that exist within the digital sphere has gone beyond just a means of dissemination of information and collection of data. Over the years, it has also became a medium of building and creating meaningful bonds and relationships.
It is no longer an assumption that the digital sphere offers all sort of opportunities than what meets the eye, all that is need is to posses a digital skill and form meaningful connection to create a network of like minded individuals who might be in need of your skill set. In the process of building connection with people, we become familiar with one another and boundaries began to blur. The strength of the connection we build with people dictate the overall success of whatever we are trying to promote in the digital world.
Without the application of necessary boundaries to define our relationship with people online, it becomes easier to get carried away by the attention we receive. We humans are social beings, which kind of makes it natural for us to want to interact with people especially when engaging in controversial subject.
As a person, when it comes to interacting with people, I engage in more online activities than offline. To an extent I can say I exist more online than in the actual world. It doesn't necessarily mean I don't socialise with people around me, it is just that I'm not fond of physical activities. I prefer to stay in my comfort zone and interact with the world. In so doing I have formed meaningful connection with people from different part of the world on different platforms, people I have never met before. In fact, the things I have engaged in with some of these people have been more productive compared to those around me.
It is one of the beauty of the digitalization, you don't have to move an inch or travel across boarder to form meaningful relations. As profound as some of this relationships we form in the digital sphere might seem, we also need to apply caution to ensure we don't harm ourselves in the process.
I remember when I was a kid, immediately I meet a new kid who seems to have the same vibes as mine, just by engaging in a couple of conversation we automatically become friends. Which is kind of the same mentality some people still posses in this modern age. We now live an era when all form of relationships with people must be defined, every form of relationship has its own category and must be treated as such.
When you have conversations with brand managers or social media managers, one of the things they emphasize on most times is; do not try to get too personal with your audience. It is ok to want to have a smooth interactive relationship with your audience but at the same time you must apply boundaries and define its purpose. Before getting involved in the digital sphere, you must ask yourself, what am I trying to achieve? What is the point of my social presence online? After highlighting your objectives, it becomes what guides your relationship with people and how you define it.
The reality is, the digital world is filled with all kinds of people and not everyone is who they seem. They all come like flocks, roaming around you with their own agenda in mind. The moment you get lost in the interaction and your guard is down, they get into your personal space and the rest depends on what they are trying to achieve. I have seen people get denied opportunities due to the kind of online presence they have, some companies use people's online profile to evaluate their reputation.
No one is saying you shouldn't have fun in the digital space but you need to be aware of the fact that your actions are being watched. Before doing anything irrational, ask yourself, what purpose does it serve? Before forming any unintended relations with strangers, make sure boundaries are in place, so that both parties can act accordingly.
This write-up was inspired by weekly featured content titled "Digital relationships" in hive learners community.
Cover image - 𝖣𝖾𝗌𝗂𝗀𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖼𝖺𝗇𝗏𝖺
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