(Anti)Social Media

I have a personal code of conduct for how and what I will post on social media.  My main rule is: nothing negative.  If I don't have something nice to say, I don't say it (I'm sure I've broken this rule, but I try hard not to).  In general, if I'm posting it's to inform, delight or entertain.  Occasionally it's to crowd-source some information I need.  It's been kind of a rough year so, suffice-it-to-say, I've been pretty quiet on the electronic front.

Over the summer, one Facebook friend posted to ask why we actors only post when we have a great audition but never when we blow it and, more recently, another friend posted that she'd had a rough week and that she was sharing to counterbalance all of her more up-beat posts.  And you probably know about all of the articles and essays out there about how much social media can stress people out.  On top of that,  a few weeks ago, my brother sent me this really interesting article about how people are less inclined to engage in discussion about public policy issues on social media AND that social media users are less inclined to have those conversations in real life than non-social media users.

It's all made me think about the value of the negative stuff.  Where's the line between sharing something difficult in a way that might help others feel less alone and more able to overcome their own challenges and just complaining?  And, knowing that potential business associates, clients and employers are all able to see what we put out there, what's the impact of a profile that's 100% positive vs. one that's more realistically varied?

How do you do Social Media?  Do you have your own guidelines for what you'll post?  A mission-statement for how you want your use of Social Media to impact others?  Do you wish people would post more or less about their challenges?  I'd love to know your thoughts.