Keep to the code! 

When I started playing around with social networking sites/services in 2007, I asked myself: 1) what exactly I hoped to accomplish, and 2) what my rules of conduct were. I never really formalized those beyond the nebulous "share and grow in the faith" and "be yourself".

But, after reading post after discussion after tweet from others about How To Behave Online, Things You Must And Mustn't Do Online, and Why Did I Put That Snarky Person In My G+ Circle, Anyway?, I thought it might be a good exercise to spell out my answers ... and it might be helpful to others who come across me in the social networking playground to better figure out if a) I'm someone they'd like to chat with, or b) these aren't the droids they're looking for; move along.

So, here's my Social Networking Mission Statement and my Personal Code o' Conduct. (Keep to the code!)

My Social Networking Mission Statement*

My purpose in playing around with my blog and on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, et cetera is to share with and support other joyful, faithful Catholics** on our pilgrimage. This means:

• I WILL share things ranging from silly pictures, serious and thoughtful articles, handy and helpful resources, and so on, and appreciate it when others do likewise.


• I WILL also share whatever else tickles my funny bone, deserves attention, catches my eye, demands action, or makes me all a-swoonified. So, expect to see LOLcats, music clips, pro-life and -family action alerts, and coffee paeans in the mix. (We're Catholic after all, and that covers everything.)


• I WILL NOT engage in pissing contests with non-Catholics or atheists/agnostics/whatever. I'm a Franciscan -- that's what Dominicans are for. ;-P (Just kidding!)


• I WILL NOT do the same with Catholics who have issues with or dissent from the Church's Magisterium/hierarchy/liturgical practices/hairstyles/whatever. ("I'm Catholic, but ...") Think the Chair of Peter has been empty since Vatican II and that Real Catholic Women™ Wear Veils And Skirts, Even While Swimming, But Real Real Catholic Women™ Wouldn't Even Contemplate Swimming? Or think Vatican II "brought a new church into being!!" and we should reconsider the sacraments (and hey, let's add a few more while we're at it)? Not my jam.

My Personal Code of Conduct

• I AM the same Lisa online that I am offline, and vice versa. What you see is what you get. (And yes, I do talk the same way in person as I do online.) While I know some folks use the Internet as an escape from reality and pretend to be someone else, that ain't me. (It's also a sin.)


• I USE my online interactions as a way to grow in charity, kindness, optimism, and patience, and seek out those who do likewise. Of course, I occasionally dork things up and get cranky or toss out a snark or speak curtly. My goal is to be mindful so that I can keep that crapulence to a minimum.


• I AVOID others who more often than not snark, snipe, crab, rain on parades, mock or belittle others, or conduct themselves with arrogance. (It's especially sad when fellow Catholics do that.) As the cowboys say, "If you sit in a pile of manure long enough, you're gonna start smellin' like it." I've trouble enough shoveling out my self-made manure pile, thanks -- I don't need more piled on from others.

So, that's my mission statement and code o' conduct. What are yours?

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* I know, "mission statement" is an overused catchphrase that's a millimeter above "synergy" on the Bleargh-O-Meter, but, well ... it worked.

** While my primary goal is to hang out with other Catholics, if you're a kind, respectful non-Catholic, I'll happily chat with you, too! :-D

Labels: blogging, doodles, social networking

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posted by Lisa, ofs | Permalink