The Public Forum

So it has been a topic of much debate lately, that is the use of the "Online Public Forum" as a venue for traditionally less than public topics. I feel that the online forum is akin to the old telling your troubles to the bartender type of action. With the understanding that you're audience is not just one person or one local establishment but a veritable world of people. Ranging from those you haven't met and won't to those that know you quite well outside of the public forum. It is a world of windows but with only the presented image to view on the inside. It's not truly the "glass house" but more of a presentation. In the glass house every action is theoretically one that can be viewed by the passer by. Some could argue that by living in a glass house that every action is a presentation due to its nature. I argue that the online forum is only a single window into that house. Yes you get to see everything that happens within that window but it is much easier to control than a house of glass. You can present a action, thought, word, emotion, etc. in the form that you want it presented. So in that sense its more of an art form than just living in a glass house. You have to design what you present so that the viewer will interpret it in the way you intended, but just like any art the intended presentation doesn't always come across in the way the artist supposed it would. Art is up for interpretation, the online forum is up for interpretation to be continued..............