A Student
I am Christian, I am a political science major at the University of Mary Washington. I’m interested in learning and discussing issues related to United States foreign policy and geopolitics. The web is a great resource for learning new things. Being able to access the world’s knowledge without ever having to leave your home is a tremendous thing. I think in this way the internet is a great tool, but like Uncle Ben said “With great power, comes great responsibility.” The internet can also be used as a tool for spreading misinformation and cyberbullying, which is why good digital citizenship is needed.
A Good Digital Citizen
While being a citizen of a country comes with expectations that one follows that country’s laws and principles, the same could be said for being a good citizen online. The internet has connected people like never before, therefore following good practices is essential. Core values of being a good digital citizen are having respect for others, valuing your own and others privacy, and managing a good digital footprint. A digital footprint is the idea that when you post something. whatever you posted will follow you even if it is deleted. Many people say “nothing ever truly gets deleted from the internet.”
This can take the form of posts, pictures, comments, etc. But if it is attributable to you, people like potential employers, school administrators and others can find it. It is important to maintain your privacy online, this is done by using usernames, and not oversharing personal information about yourself. That being said, having things online can be helpful as well. Posting positive things, or sharing work you have done can be beneficial and help you get hired. If you want to learn more about being a digital citizen, check out this helpful guide from the University of Michigan.
A tool for sharing thoughts and ideas.
I think one of the best things the web has to offer is the ability for anyone to share their thoughts. Before the advent of the internet one needed to write something in a physical book and have that book published and sold. Even then, your reach was limited to those who the book could be distributed to and purchased by. Forget about TV, broadcasting nationally, let alone internationally, has a higher barrier to entry than just about anything else. The internet, through platforms such as social media, forums, or websites like this one allows almost everyone to be able to share their thoughts. We’ve even seen the rise of a new type of celebrity (for better or worse), one entirely made and viewed through the internet. The internet significantly lowers the barrier of entry for people to create and share content, especially for niche hobbies or communities.
My own website
I have decided to call my little corner of the web Christian Speaks. I feel as though it is a simple title, one that reflects my desire to share my thoughts and ideas with the world. The Christian obviously comes from my name. Although, I am not speaking like I would in a podcast or video, still I am able to share my ideas through blog posts such as this one. I feel as though, a simpler name is better, as a longer name would get far too complicated and look messy from a viewers perspective.
