When work reality shifts and skills must

There can be a good feeling about one's society, even if worried about world at large, where most people am sure are not walking about challenging others as to their contribution. And I think in general we suppose that as long as people are being productive in a way good for society that things are ok without knowing the details.

Then there can be the concerns about those we may fear are not pulling their own weight as the phrase goes while getting the benefits of social support. But also want those who really need help to get it, when have a healthy community in mind.

But what about those desperate to be productive who watched their world shift and the value of their skill-sets shift as well in a way that left them struggling? What do you do?

And a LOT of people faced recently and are facing those kinds of questions which can challenge your sense of self. How do you feel about your benefit to society? When the easy answer is to go back to school, or re-tool, or re-learn and find other things you can do that people value. Easy to type up in a sentence, but really think about living it.

For me feel gratified that skills of mine that in the past looked one way, now look another as I took touch typing in high school. Was in a class back in the 1980's that was mostly girls, as fewer males in my school were like me, valuing the need to have those skills. Will admit I knew I wanted to do computer programming. MUCH better to type up your code without having to look at the keys! But today if you want to do something like am attempting with this post, which is to communicate to people ideas you think are important, is useful to be able to type your thoughts rapidly, and accurately.

And also I was one of those kids who loved English grammar for some reason. The logic of it fascinated me, and now rely heavily on those skills, even as I test the limits of the rules I learned very well, or decide is cool to simply break those I do not think matter. If you read my writing you can see the evidence of grammar pushed to its limits often as I look to communicate best as I see it. But need to know the rules first! Knowing the rules lets you find the limits where thoughts can push against restrictions that would barrier them.

This post has taken about five minutes of my time so far, which is good! Time is valuable and in our time getting there faster is the way to keep ahead and not find yourself wondering where to go, or what do you need to learn now?

The rapid shifts brought about by technological change have stressed people in unique ways I believe and it's important for society in general to recognize that, and continue to value people still trying. There is a new area now, where despite your best efforts you can struggle to keep up in a world that pauses for no one.

And your society needs to support you in finding your way, for the good of that society.

And now am running out of time for this post! Ten minutes of my time and more editing, where can take days to fully edit but gist of it will remain the same.

What does it take to be able to type up a post here in about ten minutes?

Well I think it takes working at skills diligently that have been built up, but also represents a shift in skills to what seems more valued for what is available for me to use! Like being able to type up a post on a blog that can speak to people all over, as just a typical thing, in our modern world.


James Harris

New public self

Web does something interesting in that even if not on it, it can push your public self in ways not previously true. Like if I meet someone and ask a few questions: Like, are you on social media? Do you watch web video? How do you get your news?

If a person is not on social media, doesn't watch web video and gets their news from television then I feel like I know a lot about that person quickly. If they ARE on social media for instance though then I may just go look and see what public they have up!

That public person is the modern persona which is available 24 hours a day.

We have a new kind of public self.

Like it dawned on me recently that MOST people who know of me anywhere, probably know of me because of things I have public on the web, like here.

Sat and pondered that sentence for a bit as very different from world I was trained to face as a kid, as that world evolved into our modern one, and a public reality that is increasingly default, even in the null case.

You have a public persona in the modern world whether you like it or not, even if it is a null one driven by NOT being on the web as people can find that out too!

For me the public persona is fun. It intrigues me that people can literally spend days reading through things I've written and maybe learn a bit about me, if they wish. Choice rules. If they lack interest though is not a negative for me as I will not know either way for most regardless. I will not know what choice was made by most people who come across my content. That is the new public reality that is true for all. Is maybe weird though? Thought and pondered that for a bit too.

Trying to measure though is the web analytics problem which consumes many.

And people trying to figure out where your interest goes is defining the web, and pushing back into society, as can help figure out decisions that will be made, like how you might vote in an election, like the recent one here in the US.

The web has the unique ability to potentially have information readily available on every single person on planet Earth. That potential is driving so much whether you like it or not, consider it or not, or know of it or not.

Your public self will matter, even if is null from trying to stay off the web.

And there will be people who will learn about you whether you wish them to know anything or not. For instance for many it's as simple as web search, as web search will likely tell.

Thinking how you present in public will define you, as how you think? Will determine how you act. And your actions will define the behaviors others may notice.


James Harris