One Thing I Don’t Understand About Social Media

I tend to steer clear of controversial topics on the internet, especially on social media. Engaging in highly arguable conversations doesn’t do anything for my mental health in a positive way.

The other day I went against my own rule and left a comment on something, my comment was not about vaccines yet people heard that word and ran with it.

Only a handful of people really read what I said and took some thought to reply, even if they disagreed with what I said, they took the time to read and respond in what I like to call a mature adult manner.

Sort of like how I wrote about the other day, Tips for Responding to Opinion. I didn’t feel like they were attacking me, they didn’t call me names and while they didn’t totally agree with what I felt was happening, they gave me information to help open my mind on why they feel the way they feel.

That’s being a good human.

This situation reminded me about a time, not that long ago when an online friend shared a bit about his personal life. The issues he had created and such, a personal journey and story that was about a topic that many women especially get angry about.

A few of those I’m connected with on FB threatened to remove anyone connected with this man because they refused to be mutual friends with anyone who would continue being connected online with this man. These people went on to say that if you stay connected with this man then you are on his side, so to speak.

What in the world? Are we in high school? Since when is it okay to tell someone else who to be friends with, ever?!

I have a ton of online connections and a few in-real-life friends. We do not share the same opinions on every topic. We don’t have the same group of mutual friends both online and in real life.

Heck, some of my in real life friends are friends with people who I think are bad, but I cannot even imagine telling them that in order to be connected with me that they need to unfriend that person in real life or on the internet.

That’s some high school level immaturity, to say the least. Perhaps some could say it’s bullying, I mean that’s a term so many want to toss around, especially those who are like this!

One Thing I Don’t Understand About Social Media

So now that I’ve vented my thoughts to introduce this blog post, I want to discuss one thing that I don’t understand about social media.

Communication …

That’s what I don’t understand.

I do not understand how effective communication works on social media. Let me back this up, so I started saying that I left a comment on a social media thread the other day.

While the thread was about vaccines, specifically the MMR vaccine, my comment wasn’t for or against the said vaccine.

Yet, more people than not merely glanced at my comment being against what was going on, and some went off the deep end.

I was told that I was uneducated. I was told that I’m part of “that generation” that thinks everything should be fair. Clearly, that person thinks I’m younger than I am, thanks for that compliment.

I was given various “facts” about vaccines and all the while I commented nothing against or for vaccines to make these replies hold any water to the point I was trying to make.

Then there are a few people who understood what I was saying, which was more about government control concerns rather than vaccines. I replied a few times until I realized that this is the one thing I don’t understand about social media – there’s no effective communication.

You must always agree with the extreme side of a topic.

If you’re on the “wrong side” you’re attacked about your appearance, your lifestyle and your education level even though these are complete strangers who have no idea who you are.

If you remain steadfast in how you feel and still try to engage in a reasonable conversation about the topic, people will continue to attack anything they can think of rather than learn how to effectively communicate their side or their experiences on the topic.

I don’t care what you believe in. I don’t care what side of the aisle you’re on. I don’t care who you love. I don’t care how you choose to raise your children.

I believe in my state’s motto, “Live Free or Die”, I believe in smaller government as I don’t believe in handouts nor do I believe in having so many laws that the government gets even more of our money for silly reasons.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life How To Not Give A F-ck In Ten Easy Steps: The Modern Lay Person’s Guide To Enlightenment The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don’t Have with People You Don’t Like Doing Things You Don’t Want to Do (A No F*cks Given Guide)The Art of Not Giving a Fuck: A Callous Adult Coloring Book of Disregard

Those are my beliefs. If you don’t agree, you won’t catch me telling you that you’re uneducated, that you should go back to your trailer park {I’ve never lived in a trailer park …} or whatever mean words people on social media tend to say when someone disagrees with how they feel.

I’ve Grown Stronger

Listen, after everything I’ve gone through in my entire life, one thing is for sure, I am more confident and strong in discussing opinions with people. I don’t get my feelings hurt as easily as I used to and I’m fine with someone wanting to judge me without knowing who I am.

I mean, I still feel it’s wrong to be this rude when you could use some effective communication to meet in the middle or at least agree to disagree.

So many people on social media judge you based on your sense of humor, your point of view, your appearance as it’s shown on your profile and so forth.

I honestly don’t think that you can judge a person’s character by who they’re connected with or what their sense of humor is.

I am connected with a ton of people who I don’t necessarily agree with.

Many are on the opposite spectrum of what I believe in on just about every topic, but I still admire them and love learning from them.

You see, when you open your mind to hearing how other people think, what other people have experienced or are experiencing and you truly listen to what they have to say … you can actually grow as a person.

Now, learning and growing doesn’t mean you have to change your stance on a topic, but it does help you to have some compassion or empathy towards others who you may be connected with online or happen to engage with on a public thread on social media.

It helps each of us start realizing that attacking someone doesn’t resolve anything. The more and more I watch people fight amongst themselves, the more and more I wonder what “big money” places are doing.

They’re probably up to something right now and we’re too busy acting like immature angry adults between ourselves to pay attention to the bigger picture.

Social media can be a wonderful tool for personal and business reasons. Social media can open our eyes to parts of the world we wouldn’t otherwise experience.

Social media can help us gain friendships that we otherwise may not find.

Social media can be a beautiful place for We the People to come together and realize that we aren’t each other’s enemy.

We are each other’s ally.

Think about this the next time you try to reply based on emotions on social media.

Pause.

Think.

Read again.

And truly remember that there’s a real human on the other side of that computer who, although thinks differently than you on a topic, is still a kind person who cares.