Oversharing

I know three or four loyal readers of this blog who don't have a social media presence (I love them!), but many of us do, whether it's on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, blahblahblahblahblah. We do it for varying reasons: I first joined Facebook at the invitation of a high school friend, and found I could enjoy a virtual reunion without worrying about what to wear. College friends, former co-workers, an old crush, neighbors, even my best friend from second grade. We're all connected online.

Some have more of a presence than others, for different reasons. As an author, I've learned that it's important to stay connected with readers. I try not to shill my books (they're all right there on the page, isn't that enough?!), and love to promote others. I enjoy seeing photos of my friends'  kids grandkids, pets, and even the same sunset from another viewpoint.

This past week I was struck with the concept of oversharing. And its opposite. A former co-worker completed her rounds of chemotherapy (breast cancer) without a single post to the world. Her family and close friends were aware, I'm sure, but someone like me, an acquaintance at best, had no need, and she didn't find it necessary to share her struggle. Only when the chemo was completed did her husband post joyfully (with her okay). And I think we all felt the same joy for her, even if we hadn't known what she'd endured these past months.

That isn't to say that those who feel the need to share every last tidbit are bad people. According to the Daily Mail (UK), scientists have revealed that people who feel compelled to share intimate details of their lives on social media sites have heightened activity in the region of the brain relating to self-cognition. Some folks just like to share information about themselves. It's their diary (for everyone to read!). And for us, we have the option to simply hide, delete, scroll through.