I was reading an article on fellow GrandEffect member, Corvida’s excellent blog, SheGeeks about a dilemma regarding multiple personalities. Partly as a comment to that article, partly as my own article, I’d like to talk a bit about the multiple personality issues here.

First of all, I don’t really view this as multiple personalities. My reason is that we all have many-many sides. My Father was a diplomat, all suit and tie all the time and general seriousness radiating off him, but I remember when he was trying to throw sugar cubes into my Mother’s coffee at a hotel. In other words, we all portray different aspects of ourselves in different situations, not necessarily because we want to hide the other side, but because there are some social rules,and sometimes it is just more effective to show one side, rather than the other. My Dad’s co-workers knew he wasn’t all seriousness all the time, but despite this he maintained his image in the workplace, not for show, but because that’s how work can be done effectively.

So my comment to the article would be that I would feel free to upload your pics (I’m sure the guys would be extra-happy!) because having two personalities is not something you should hide, its something to be proud about. Obviously if you want to write guest posts for Lifehacker you would start by being serious and showing them your work and so on. However they might actually like the fact that your much more outgoing in real life, but have the capability to have a “business face”.

I think this is actually an essential ability, not just in the blogosphere, but in real life, its something we are trained to do from when we are small kids. Obviously you have to show a different face in school toward your teachers, a different face to your friends in school, a different face to your old-old friends, a different one for your family and so on. This is not like cheating, as I said, everyone may be well aware of your other “personalities”.

Actually, I would advise for everyone to show all their real personalities online, especially if you work online because it gives a much better rounded picture of you. Personally I was looking for an assistant to help me in web development. I would rather choose a 4/5 web developer whom I get along well personally than a 5/5 who I don’t know anything about or don’t get on well with. I actually wen’t with training up someone from scratch who I’ve been friends with.

Overall I think everyone knows that the image portrayed online is not the full picture, but your online persona is still you, ust as your offline. I wouldn1t be afraid to share with the world, I mean, unless you’re a serial rapist what problems could it cause?