To tweet or not to tweet?

I have a feeling that I am not the only one that has typed out a status update on Facebook, was about to hit return, and paused. Pause. Should I really write this?

I also have a sinking feeling that most of us type out one of the below ten things and let the tweets fly. There it goes. Into the world and ready to make waves. But as it turns out, these waves are capsizing people all over your little corner of the internet.

Is it revolutionary for us to start being responsible for what we put out into the world? HECK YES. And chances are, you've broken a lot of these rules, and so have I, but let's just put pride aside and admit that all of us need to change the way we use the technology beast.

1. Countdowns. Countdowns to your wedding, your move, your birthday, your graduation, your anything. Your countdown updates are our groans and eye rolling. The ones that you know and love already know the dates that are important in your life. The rest of us just feel like our lives aren't as exciting because we have nothing to count down to.
2. Angsty song lyrics that are actually about your ex. We all know it's not just song lyrics. And we are all wondering if your ex has seen it and what other public fallout will ensue. 
3. The sarcastic update. You know the one. It's the veiled complaint, the reference to your sweet life that is actually a long list of complaints because of school, family frustrations, work, etc. Wouldn't it be awesome if we were just straight up about this stuff and call it like it is?
4. The mean girl statement. You know that this status is for an audience of one: the person that hurt you. It's passive aggressive, and it's public. Bad combo.
5. Rap lyrics. Pretty much, all rap lyrics are foul play. But if it's Young MC I think that's awesome.
6. Breaking news! It's snowing! 2 hour delay! Hey, did you hear what happened at Penn State? Carolina won! State lost! We know...we know.
7. MAKE THIS YOUR STATUS AND FACEBOOK WILL DONATE 45 CENTS TO SAVE A LITTLE BOY'S LIFE! No they won't. Haven't you seen Social Network? Mark Zuckerberg is not a facebook philanthropist.
8. My team rules. Your team sucks. Do we realize that when we make sides like these, we are alienating a whole other group of people? State or Carolina, Democrat or Republican, does it matter? We are all people and we all deserve to be loved and accepted. We all have value, regardless of social or political associations.
9. The I'm gonna make you jealous tweet. I'm in the 3rd row! I just got a new car and here's a picture! Check out my new UGGS! It's painful because it's obvious. It's also painful because it does make us jealous. Hopefully, that's not your conscious intent. Hopefully, one day we won't care as much about what we have or have not.
10. The philosopher. Guilty! I am guilty as charged! I break this one all the time. My only reservation for this is that, a lot of people don't care what I have to say...until they know that I care about them.

I don't know what the next big thing will be in social media, but I do know that it's not going away. So we have to be responsible. We just do. And now, everyone can call me out when I break one of my own judgmental rules. Bring it, people! I need it as much as, and probably more than you do!

-Liz