Public Image

     So, I am in a group on the internet of friends who met last year in a chatroom about LeakyCon. After LeakyCon last year, we continued going to the chatroom and even became a facebook group. We have grown closer and closer all year. As LeakyCon approached this year, we discussed advertising chat to allow new Leaky attendees to get to know us and other people going to LeakyCon. After a disastrous first night, we began getting some frequent new people, some we got along with, others we found annoying. After LeakyCon this year, we put a password on the chat room. (We had one before because of other reasons) Basically, we let people in, then forced those we didn't want out. I'm not saying that was wrong or right, although that phrasing says otherwise... But beside that, at LeakyCon, we wore shirts with our group name on them, a group name that has been public throughout the year. We have a youtube channel in that name as well. Melissa knows of us and even gave us a shoutout during LeakyStars. Now we are in a "war" about how to continue as a group. People are upset because there is an interest in our group that we didn't expect. This problem has arisen during some other drama which is not helping anything. But that doesn't matter for this post.

    The internet has changed things in the world, People become famous overnight. Public Image always needs to be considered on some level. Individuals need to watch what they post because anyone could see it. Companies need to watch what they share because they can get in trouble. All of this has changed the way the world works. The internet allows things to be shared around the world instantly. Things spread quicker than anyone can imagine. You don't really get the choice in how you are viewed. But you can control what gets seen. 

     By this point, people definitely know of us, The amount of people is unknown, but we are still known. We have a Public Image. There problem now is that people don't want a Public Image, at least not on the scale we now have. But once it's there, can it really go away? Sure we could change our name and stop doing things outside of our group, but people would still know us. Apparently we don't want fans, but we don't want a larger group either. I can't figure out the solution. I tried, but people still found problems. People are too concerned with other people's feelings. In a way I suppose I am too. Personally, I think we should use our group name to keep the public image positive, use our youtube for fun LeakyCon pep stuff and charities and all that jazz, I think we should let people join in and have fun with us. LeakyCon attendees are some of the most sincere and incredible people I have ever met and I hate the idea that I can't get to know all of them, which I obviously can't, but why should we have the chance to know all that want to know us? 

    Today I figured out that this whole thing is causing me to get physically ill from stress so I am doing what I never do which is back down. Whatever happens will happen. So what if I hate it, they are my friends and I will live with it. I will just come back with something else to get the community excited because that's what I love. I love being able to share things with people and interact. I love having this community of incredible people. It's what keeps me going everyday. And I will never give that up over a little drama with friends.


(THE PICTURE IS NOT MINE IT IS JUST CUTE AND THEY ARE FIGHTING SO I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY.)