Local Resolutions Part 6 of 29
This is the sixth in a series of 29 ways to help your local community online in 2010. If you missed it, you may wish to read the introductory post.
In this post, I suggest that making small charitable donations publicly online is a great way to help others from behind the comfort of your keyboard. I have already written about making a habit of giving online, joining the local Freecycle group, sharing traffic reports, inventing new awards, and responding to questions in Yahoo Answers.
We disagree.
What’s more, we disagree on things that matter.
And, frequently, you have an opinion about something you think is really important, and I’ve never even thought about it before.
It’s important that we listen to each other. Because we are part of the same community, I want to hear what you think.
You have important thoughts. Share them.
I’ve been pulled into more than my share of online debates. They take place on Twitter, in the comments on a blog post, on message boards, by e-mail, and in a handful of other places.
Debates are fine. I’m a person who actually learns from debating and through debating. But, debates have their limitations and flaws. For one thing, they tend to annoy others. For another, they tend to cause everyone to get defensive.
So, my challenge to you today is to resolve to take time this year to explain your positions on issues that are important to you. I want to read your thoughts. Enrich me. Elevate the level of civic discourse in our community. Speak your piece.
What to write about
“An issue important to you” doesn’t have to be political. Sure, your support of universal single-payer healthcare for everyone is a good position to explain. But so is your take on the lifting of salary caps in the NFL. Your ideas about how bosses should treat their employees. Why you think chain stores are actually pretty cool. An insight you have into why a particular TV show warrants appreciation.
You’ll know you have something to write about the next time you find yourself saying, “You know what I think?”
What to do with it
Then hop on your computer and tell me—tell us—what you think. Share it online
- on your blog (if you don’t have one, they’re free and easy from WordPress.com)
- through Facebook Notes
- on a video you post to YouTub
- as a guest post on someone else’s blog
As far as guest pots go, if what you have to say is a) local to Lancaster County and b) level-headed, I would be thrilled to share it here on my blog as a guest post. If you, too, are a blogger interested in such guest posts, please let us know in the comments below.
Explaining your take on a particular issue to your neighbors, to other members of you community, does not make you a pundit. It makes you a citizen.
Photo by Flickr user Michael Karshis
One of my “issues” is artists who have no online presence. How do you explain this when the perpetrators don’t use the platform you are talking about? It’s free, fairly easy, and a great way to market yourself.
OK, now I know what my blog post for tomorrow might be. Thanks Daniel!
Yes, but Daniel, if you’re the public face (both IRL and online) of a business, couldn’t voicing opnions on politics and religion in particular negatively affect (or is it effect?) you business? i know that I see independent business owners and salesmen making political comments about thigs I fervently disagree with and that lessens my desire to do business with them. Making personal opinions from a business “account” on social media could hurt.
In my business, there are a lot of people that have personal blogs, FB & Twitter accounts and they are very clear these represent them and not their business, but I don’t see that that often around here… I see lots of FB and tweets from business accounts touting personal opinions on debatable subjects with no disclaimers; and to me that can be a pretty dicey situation, especially if you are dependent on getting new and repeat clients.
Sam 🙂
Sam, you are wise to advise caution for business owners and spokespersons. I still think it is important for business owners, as business owners, to have strong positions on some issues. For instance, I think your ongoing explanations of the importance of patronizing local shops is wonderful and necessary.
You’re also very right to remind people not to confuse their personal positions with positions that are appropriate for them to advocate under the guise of their business.
Wendy, thanks as always for your comment. I appreciate the advocacy you do to get more artists and artisans online. Now that you have written that blog post, maybe it would make sense to print it out and take it along to shows and events where other artists will be gathering? Perhaps you should use a mimeograph machine for that.