One of the dangers of the internet is that it’s possible to live a primarily virtual life that has little or no basis in reality. With the cloak of anonymity, we can be someone we’re not, say things we wouldn’t dare say in person, and impact society through our access to and participation in worldwide communication with the click of a button, often without responsibility or repercussion.
We can hurt people with vicious and unfounded comments. We can support poorly thought-out ideas. We can remain silent when others do so. Trust me, there are plenty of opportunities to do these things in real life. There’s no reason to rack up extra bad-karma bonus points online.
A system of checks and balances often exists when we make mistakes or say stupid things in real life. We see the pain we cause. We see the damage we’ve done. We get our ass handed to us. We suffer. We take a hard look at ourselves. We learn. We’re better off for it.
One of the characteristics of Old Money is that it rarely does things in the shadows. An exception to this may be charity, which is often done anonymously, and matters involving family, which are often handled in private.
But overall, Old Money doesn’t do things that it wouldn’t be proud of if they were made public. This makes life simple, if not easy. It makes our behavior something that we could explain to our children without shame, even if the subject matter might be awkward. It enables us to sleep soundly at night.
It’s a code of behavior with demands that are non-negotiable, but with dividends that pay handsomely.
So live life in the daylight. If you’re going to say something or do something, own up to it. Put your name on it. Be proud of it. If you aren’t willing to do that, it might not be the right thing to do.
– BGT