Truth, Lies and Political?Correctness
15Sep12
Public speaking for many is a frightening experience?How about public posting?posting your true feelings and opinions on LinkedIn?
Here?s a question I asked in my LinkedIn discussion groups with responses from professional speakers?
?Are you afraid of being criticized when posting your opinions on your LinkedIn profile or in group discussions? How much do you value free speech among your LinkedIn connections??
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John Haran ? I do express my opinion at various times and I try to sound intelligent. I think some people are afraid to express their opinions because it may cut into a networking opportunity and/or they?ll lose out on making some money.
Jerry Walch?? I have to agree with John Haran?where he said, ?I think some people are afraid to express their opinions because it may cut into a networking opportunity and/or they?ll lose out on making some money.? Personally, I am in a unique position where I?m officially retired but still write and speak to supplement my retirement, yet I don?t have to depend on writing and speaking to pay my bills, because of that I can exercise my rights to freedom of speech without those concerns. Maybe I was never too concerned about those things because I have always been a very outspoken person, because, like Shakespeare, I believe in being true to myself and my beliefs. I believe everyone has a right to their opinion even if their opinion is in opposition to mine. I will support anyone;s right to express their opinions as long as they express them in an appropriate manner.
Helen Wilkie ? I express my opinion as part of interesting discussions. My complaint is that there aren?t enough of them! So many discussions are started with a link to an article or blog post and nobody responds, so a potentially interesting conversation withers on the vine.
Jerry Walch ? I agree with you Helen, but want to take the linking issue one step further. What really turns me off, and kills discussion, is when the posting and linking has nothing to do with opening a discussion at all, but is promoting some service, that should have been posted under ?Promotions? or a job offering that should have been posted under ?Jobs. I belong to many writing and public speaking groups on LinkedIn and I find people posting promotions and jobs under ?Discussions? happening far too often. I flag them, but I think that far too many people let them slide because they are afraid of offending the poster.
Al Bagocius ? John?You are so right! Sometimes networking events are just a masquerade ball?
Tayo?Solagbade?? I agree fully with the points you?ve all made. This is actually an issue I believe more peple should pay serious attention to, because it determines the QUALITY of our networking interactions out here.
When we fail to voice our honest and often unique views, we lose our identity?and at the same time deny others of the potentially valuable perspective we could have contributed
A few years back, I described this problem in an article I wrote, with these exact words.
?Some people join the crowd in order to become ?hidden? or ?protected? from criticism or scrutiny. Since they also take care never to voice contrary (and at times ANY) opinion, they are rewarded with the anonymity they seek ? and the insignificance that results from it.? ? Tayo?Solagbade
Patricia Weber ? I am usually comfortable in open discussions here, and anywhere.
@John H is spot on I believe: fear of loss keeps some people quiet.
And @Jerry that?s one of my pet peeves too but truthfully, I really think some people don?t post in discussions when it is a promotion purposefully. Oh sure, some do! I?ve seen it and flagged those comments too. But for some people, particularly if they are either new to LinkedIn, networking or both, they just don?t know better.
In the meantime, I?ll go right on contributing with openness and honesty.
Jerry Walch?? Oh, I agree, Patricia, some people just don?t know and when that?s the case I send them an InMail?explaining things to them instead of flagging the post. Where I flag the most is in the various writers groups that I belong to. In some of those groups you may get three or four people posting the same promotional link on the day in discussions. It becomes quite obvious that various people posting those links are affiliates of those site and are getting paid when someone signs up on those sites or makes a purchase?from those sites. Posting in the wrong categories does seem to be more of a problem in ?writers? groups, than in ?Public Speaking? groups.
Don R. Varney?? I agree with this thread. It is great when dialogue happens in a post. I have tried using thought-provoking statements to get responses. Some have worked others have fallen into the black hole. Thanks for the comments and lets keep posting.
Jerry Walch ? Good morning Don R. Varney. I try to respond to as many posts that are relevant to me, but the problem is time and the number of groups that I belong to. I could spend all my time just responding to interesting threads but if I did that, I wouldn?t be able to meet my writing deadlines and fulfill my speaking obligations.
Shari Greer ? Great conversation to start the week. I think being authentic is critical if you are in a discussion group. It?s who and what I represent, and I am quite comfortable with that. As those who know me will agree, ?if I think I am right, I will tell the world?.. and if I think you are wrong?. I might still tell the world.. but lies will not be a part of that discussion!! Authenticity is important, and it?s always rewarded in one way or another.
Vickie Sullivan ? I am not afraid of criticism for myself ? I consider it a difference of opinion. What gets me is when the criticism crosses the line into a smack down. When folks berates others in the name of ?expressing opinions? in their posts, it shuts down the whole thread.I agree with Jerry ? I usually ignore the post that shout ?read my article.? I respond most to a thought-provoking question?like this one! Thanks Al?Mark Smulian ? it seems that ?honesty is still the best policy??.and constructive criticism that comes from the heart, from love, is sometimes the most fortunate thing that can come our way.
We are in the end all fallible human beings. Mark Grimm ? Many people are afraid to discuss their opinions in public period. For business folks, you do have to be careful about alienating clients or prospects. On the other hand, opinions are often what make you interesting. I think you have to use good judgment and avoid personal attacks. As a small business owner and former town board member, there are nasty opponents who will try to hurt your business to discourage people from running. Voters should punish them at the polls.
Alan (Bud) Taylor?? i freely post thoughts that are counter to the common wisdom that circulates in many open discussions.
I either get insightful responses or admonitions.
If people scold my ideas i uncheck the box at the bottom of the thread.
Summer Crenshaw ? I think there will always be ?trolls? looking to publicly attack others for their opinion. Glad to hear many still post their opinion regardless of fear.
Mike Parkinson, PPF.APMP?? As many do, I post frequently and always write from experience. Honesty is paramount. My only concern is unconstructive?feedback (mean-spirited criticism) as Vicki pointed out. If I have nothing constructive to contribute I don?t comment. It has derailed many wonderful threads. I am happy to say that more often than not it is not an issue. 
JD GERSHBEIN?? Tragically, the political correctness and etiquette-driven environment of the LinkedIn platform is a natural inhibitor for free expression. Rather than ruffle feathers, people will speak from a place of safety or artificial flattery. Such is human nature confined to convention and circumstance.
I will not communicate under false pretense, or sugar-coat anything, but I do operate with discretion on the site. One has to. Naturally, it depends on the topic and the context in which it is presented. but I would hope that the comments left on my status updates?or those that extend my discussions in the LinkedIn groups?would come from a place of honesty.
Nothing impresses people more than the truth.
Lori Dixon ? Expression is an important topic and I so have enjoyed reading this thread. I have personally experienced not only challenging opinions with others, which I welcome those debates when done respectfully. My concern has been over those that take those views and cannot appreciate nor see others perspectives as just that, a way to see a new idea or thought through a differing lens. I have even witnessed some individuals that have made a contributor feel attacked or devalued. I have been quiet for a while due to those situations. Thank you for bringing up this topic.
What are your thoughts?
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Filed under: Censorship, Free Speech, Lies, LinkedIn, political Correctness, Truth ??|??
Tags: Censorship, Free Speech, Lies, LinkedIn, Political Correctness, Truth
Source: http://albagocius.wordpress.com/2012/09/15/truth-lies-and-political-correctness/
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