How Much Should We Share; All Writing Is Personal

Often, I find myself wondering: How much information is too much to share with other people via the Internet or through general conversation?

I mean, I have to share some information with strangers to make friends (because every friend started out as a stranger).  Should I just stick with basic information like what classes I'm taking, how many sisters and brothers I have, or general subjects like movies, books, and what is going on in the world?

There are some people out there who take the "let it ride" attitude about conversation and Internet postings.  They express everything they are feeling so the whole world has access to it.  Some people express so freely that they do not take consideration for offending others or for the effect such expression could have on their reputation.

I find that I will read through some of the stuff I've written while considering whether or not to post it to make sure it will not offend people who are close to me.  I find that I will sometimes elect not to post something because I think it is too personal or think it might offend someone.  Sometimes, I wonder if I'm being too polite or being too critical of myself.

The only problem with that is I believe that everything a person writes shows their personality.  As such, isn't everything I write personal? Thus, if I'm worried about posting stuff that is too personal, I probably should not be posting anything at all.

Yet, I love to write and some of my opinions seem brilliant to me.  Therefore, I will continue to blog.  I will also continue to screen what I post.  I believe personal experiences can enhance writing, but it is not worth it to ruin another person's reputation or lose a valued friendship in the process.

That being said, I may slip up every now and then.  I'm only human (well, sometimes I insist I'm immortal and have magical brain waves, so perhaps crazy genius human applies).  In any case, I apologize in advance for offenses you may experience while reading my writing.  I won't apologize for shock though, because I enjoy using shock to get readers to pay attention.  I also sometimes like to write about stuff that makes readers uncomfortable, so they will want to keep reading in hopes of a resolution (Whether or not, I actually give the audience what it wants is on a case by case basis.).  I assure you that I aim to make a statement and make people think.