Thoughts on Social Media
Social Media is both a curse and a gift. It has made people bolder, more daring, and ultimately meaner. There is nothing wrong with social discourse, but people seem to feel freer to trash another person for the slightest little thing, and God forbid it's political! I refuse to argue on Facebook or on any other social media platform. If I disagree with someone’s opinion on any topic, especially if it’s political, I don’t comment. If I agree, I give it a LIKE and may comment, but once the aggressive, nasty commenters emerge, and they do, I’m out of there. I won’t and don’t respond. It isn’t worth the time and effort. I don’t want to make the world worse than it already is.
The pandemic we all have been dealing with has only increased the meanness: the wear a mask, don’t wear a mask battle rages on. People cry out that as American’s they have a God given right not to wear a mask when they go into a store, a restaurant, or anywhere. I’m not the most religious person in the world, but I don’t remember ever being taught in Catechism about God and the right to not wear a mask. What I remember is when entering a store, signs posted about shirts and shoes being required. Higher-end restaurants additionally requiring a jacket and tie. There are rules in a civilized society that we must follow.
Many people think the ability to be anonymous in the world of social media gives them a free ticket to insult, condemn, criticize, and spit out nasty name-calling without consequence. But there are consequences, maybe not easily apparent, but with so many people feeling free to go down a nasty road they are making the world a less hospitable place than it already is. Maybe they don’t care, but I do, and I sure there are others who care too. Life is too short. I rather use my time doing more constructive and creative endeavors than arguing over every little thing.
What I like about Facebook and other social media is how I have connected with many new online friends and reconnected with older friends and relatives. I think that’s been the most important aspect. It’s important to connect with people, as humans we need to connect, especially in this time of the COVID virus where many of us, including me, can feel isolated. Over the past few weeks, I have connected with a couple of cousins I have not spoken to in years, first through Facebook and soon after with telephone conversations. It was a real blast from the past. We live far apart and our lives have taken different paths, but we’re still the same and we are still connected. I know there are many others out there who know it pays to be nice. We can’t give up.
