Is there a difference between “being seen” and “being known?”
Absolutely!
But can they cross?
Absolutely!
Being seen to me is simply defined as the recognition of the actions we take. This is usually expressed through the persona we share with the world. More simply reduced to the persona we share on social media. The persona we let every person see online. Friend, foe, or stranger. We share this part of us to be SEEN. We want the world to see what we eat. See what trip we went on. See what accomplishment we achieved. We need that instant gratification. That recognition. That need to be SEEN.
Being “seen” can exist in different ways as well, not just in social media. It exists in real life, too, in its various forms. Sharing pictures at the water cooler, etc. Social media is obviously the easiest example to choose from.
But that doesn’t necessarily boil down to being “known.”
Being known means that someone recognizes who you are as a person and what makes you uniquely you. While being seen is that feeling you get when someone recognizes the actions that you take, being known is being recognized for the deeper meaning of those actions. Why is BTS so important to you? Why is Japan so important to you? Those connections aren’t easily learned through simple communications meant only for “seeing” eyes.
That being said, being seen and known can cross paths. Some people share so much about themselves that being seen becomes being known. They live their lives out in the open for all to see and there is nothing wrong with that if they’re comfortable with that.
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