Self Restraint

Some scientists studying social media are confused because human beings display both an instinct for privacy and an instinct for publicity.

Frankly, it's not that difficult. For the vast majority of us concerning information about ourselves:

If it's obviously positive, it's okay to publicize it (by the way, get a friend to do so to avoid the appearance of bragging).

If it's negative, don't tell anyone.

If it's a two-edged sword (e.g., what may be "cool" with the young crowd would be frowned on by an employer), again, don't post it.

Outré behavior may seem to get all the pageviews, but such publicity works out successfully for very few people. Those prospecting for employees, spouses, and service providers look for self-restraint, not a desire for the spotlight. © 2013 Stephen Yuen