Power of Authenticity

We covered a wide breath of information today, but what struck me was when we started to make the connections from the entire week that really creates a complex web. We talked about authenticity numerous times throughout the week. We also emphasized how important this is especially in social media. This hit me even more today when we started to talk about Pope Francis and the narrative that is told. The narrative that is told is the one that continues to be witnessed, but I think you could argue it also continues to be told because it is authentic. As humans, relationship is part of our very being, but authenticity is central in relationships. No one wants to be in a relationship with a fake. 

The narrative the is created about Pope Francis comes from more than one source. We looked at A Big Heart Open to God that was an interview published in America, we also looked at Evangelii Gaudium, and discussed the numerous images like this one. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/30/pope-selfie-twitter-vatican_n_3844061.html

All of these sources start to create a narrative that has a common thread that if you look to other places would more than likely be present as well. Authenticity is present!

Elizabeth Drescher and Keith Anderson talk about how important authenticity is in social media in their book Click 2 Save: The Digital Ministry Bible. This idea is present in many places throughout the book, but one place I really enjoy is this quote, "One of the reasons Bolz-Weber is so effective is that she has a clear and consistent voice - the same voice you hear whether you talk to her in person, text her, or tweet back and forth." (page 163) There is an authenticity that it present when there is a consistent voice being heard and perceived whether it be via media or not. 

Just as Drescher and Anderson, talk about social media has great advantages and I would be one of the first to agree, but as I have experienced firsthand this week one of the shortcomings in the digital world. I think, we have to always keep a filter on and ask are we being authentic? Is it one voice being heard or many? What narrative are we creating? 

This week I have been working on retrieving my lost/delayed luggage. United has utilized digital media just as many other companies, but as I have experienced this week the media has not always been a unified voice. I have received mixed messages and that has resulted in my perception of their authenticity to be greatly compromised. As I write this still sitting without my luggage at what will be one week when 1am strikes, I witnessed how digital media can go wrong. I am not saying we toss digital media out. Please hear that! I have said before and I will say again, I think digital media is important and has great value. Also, hear me say I think we need to keep in mind that we want to remain authentic and create a narrative, which shares a common thread. I think we also create within that narrative a way to handle situations when things go wrong in the digital social media world. What are some of the ways you have handled situations in the social media world when they went array so they did not compromise your authenticity or your narrative?

There is power in social media and there is power in authenticity!