Yesterday, I wrote about I am who I am. In this article, I want you the reader to tell me who you are.
Could you perhaps describe yourself in less than say, 50 words? If so, what parts would you have to leave out? What parts of You are not important?
There's no way I could possibly describe myself in less than 50 words, probably not even in 10 books of 1,000 pages each! No, text is not the way.
Body language makes up about 90% of our conversations when we meet and greet in real life. The other 10% comes from the words we use and how we say those words.
To be sure, we need to be at least seen. Even better, a video of our face as we talk so that there can be no mistake: we know who you are.
At the moment, I have no access to a video recording device that would deliver quality videos or gifs. There is Mary's C9 smartphone that I can use if I absolutely have too, just that I know the quality of the recorded message would not suffice my standards let alone yours.
Currently, I go for a stilled image. A photo (or avatar) of myself taken in 2009 at the back of a rented property in Logan, Queensland. I have been using that same avatar since then on most sites I have joined over the years that accept these images.
Of course there will be the doomsayers, reckoning that a full frontal image leads itself to identity theft. Not here in New Zealand, since wearing glasses and smiling is not acceptable for official photographic identification. The world has moved on, identity theft still happens yet rarely so.
Smile folks, you're on Candid Camera! With a great big smile, and prescription glasses or sunnies, there's no need to be afraid; just be you, wonderful you! We want to see who you really are, warts and all, dreadlocked or bald, just show us You.
Here's the tricky bit. To be you, we need your name too. I mentioned the need for your name in yesterday's article. Now we marry the two, your name and your face. Viola!
You now have a very powerful tool to brand yourself with. Upload your avatar on every site that you have set up an account under your own name. No more blank space or generic image, instead we have you.
If you decide to remain anonymous, that's OK. You have the right to be the person you want to be. You were given that right when you were born, the right to feel scared or perhaps to feel safe like Linus and his security blanket in Peanuts cartoon strips.
Here's the problem: unless you use your real name and upload an avatar of yourself, I really will struggle to get to know you, to like you, and to trust you. So please, don't let that lack of You be the reason why we say goodbye.
Tell me how will I know who you are.
Ian Ballantine
Wellington, New Zealand
November 29, 2019.
Playlist (with lyrics): 