No? Elaborate? OK. Since you (I assume) asked, here’s my point: Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) have given everyone a voice, and that’s a beautiful thing in some ways. For the LGBTQ community, it has allowed them to find and connect with a large number of similar people, support groups, and events, which is a tremendously fabulous thing! At it’s absolute best, that is what Social Media is for: to help us find friends, communities, services etc. that will enhance our lives and keep us better connected. Unfortunately, if you’ve ever used Social Media for longer than 10 minutes, then you have likely come to realize it is a place where people share cooking videos, cute animal pics/vids, memes that only some people will get, and everyone’s favorite: I’m going to tell you exactly how I feel about (insert obnoxious personal belief/political view here) and if you disagree with me you are EVIL! That’s really what I’m here to talk about, you crazy folks who seem to think that there is only wrong or right, black or white, and can’t imagine a world where somebody could hold a belief different from your own. Listen up buckeroos, cause I’m about to blow your mind!
There are many ways to view and enjoy the world!
That’s right pooky, not only is there more than one way to see the world, or to solve a problem… but get this: it’s also OK if people don’t agree with you. I know, it’s a lot to take in. Feel free to stare at the mind blown GIF above until the concept has fully set in. I can wait. Take your time… still waiting… still waiting… OK. Are we good now? Say it out loud, “we are good,” and then make a concerted decision to use Social Media for the power of good and not for the powers of evil. Use Social Media to keep up with the news (although please don’t use it as your primary news source), to post cute videos and to stay in touch with friends and family. More and more these days, I use Social Media to promote my blog and to find like minded folks that love video games, comics and other nerdy stuff. That’s just about it. Every now and then I comment if I feel that I have something funny to say, but again, that’s about it. I know it’s hard to get off your soapbox and to dust that chip off of your shoulder, trust me I used to have a ton of axes to grind, but in the end it’s not worth the stress and it makes the folks around you miserable, or worse: verbally hostile. It’s just not worth it. Be a better friend and a more responsible social media user. Most of us wouldn’t act like the kind of jackasses we do on the internet if we were talking to someone face to face, so why be a falsely brave person that spews vitriol at all? Does your ego really need that kind of boost? If so, what does that say about you? Don’t live a duplicitous life like that, it’s not worth it. As the Beatles said, “Life is very short and there’s no time for fussing and fighting my friends.”
My 50 cents (adjusted up from 2 cents due to inflation)
If you have something super opinionated to say: start a blog, YouTube channel, podcast, or create a snark account on your preferred social media outlet. Don’t air your ignorance amongst your friends. It’s one thing to say, “I hope a democrat wins the Presidency in 2016.” It’s a whole ‘nother thing to say that “Hillary Clinton is the hardest working politician on the national stage and is essentially without equal.” Get the fuck out of here with that hyperbole laden bullshit. Unless Hillary Clinton is forcing you to type that tripe whilst ramming her strap-on up your ass, you are just being obnoxious and spreading more unsubstantiated bullshit designed to wind folks up and promote your own stilted agenda. Don’t think I forgot about Trump, because boy howdy I didn’t. Don’t talk about him either, he’s a hot mess and a pathetic human being, so for the sake of all humanity, do not support him or give him more free press. Stop it. Just stop it.
Here’s my 3 Social Media abuse pet peeves:
- I don’t care about your politics. Period. I love people and want the best for all of us. I have no faith that any single politician, let alone that a group of them is going to do us any damned good. I think social movements and unified fronts are far more effective than any political party. Any more these days I’m an equal opportunity hater that has no love for either party in ‘Murica, and if you need a reason why, I will ask you to watch Exhibit A – George Carlin:
- Your sports team sucks. They always have sucked and always will. You hope that they are going to win this year: they won’t. You hope they will draft some promising new talent: they won’t. You hope that they look fit during the pre-season: they won’t. You are certain that this is the year that they will be a Cinderella story out of nowhere: put your money where your mouth is, and then post about how much money you lost when they don’t win, because that will actually be more entertaining than you posting about how much you love your team. Otherwise, just stop. I don’t need to see a freaking meme or inspirational video about your team every third posting on my news feed. We are friends, but we’re friends with boundaries. Those boundaries consist of you not obsessing about sports more so than you do your own family and/or friends or frankly anything for that matter. It’s OK to like sports, it’s grossly unhealthy to be so in love with them that your posts start to make you look like loyal Smeagol protecting his precious.
- I hate the over playing of the “special interest” card. Look, before this gets heated or turned into something it isn’t, I’m not saying that I have no sympathy for any anybody’s plight. Trust me, I am down with the struggle, but you had better not allude in your little rant that I am racist or a homophobe, or part of the problem if I don’t believe exactly what you believe. A) Ultimatums are almost always a bad idea, and B) how do you expect to sway opinion if your argument comes from already assuming that anybody who disagrees with you is evil. It’s thinking like this that keeps the world from being more acceptant of all of the various people of different races, orientation, genders and beliefs. This goes back to my initial point: there is more than one way to see any problem, and as such there is more than one way to fix any problem. I also said that I believed that social movements were far more effective than politicians, and I still believe that, but it comes with a caveat – the movement has to understand and accept that they may only be able to move the needle on their specific issue incrementally. Just because you want 100% equality or rights now, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen now. It may not happen in your lifetime. It doesn’t make it fair, but it is how the system, broken though it is, works. (Side note, if you are living your life under the assumption that life is fair… I cannot help you) Keep a little perspective: Women got the right to vote in 1920. Segregation in America was not completely, from a legal standpoint, ended until 1964. Same sex marriage was not legal in all 50 states until last year. Progress is slow, and cannot be brought about peacefully if you treat the topics like a blunt instrument. Pro-Tip for you social justice types: Hearts and Minds sway the populace more so than shock and awe. Keep that in mind when you unload your full salvo of ultimatum laden pap on your friends via Facebook. Also, if I ever get called a cis white male that couldn’t possibly understand anything ever again, just know that I will eviscerate you with words with a speed that would make the Flash blush. You have been warned.
I appreciate you taking the time to go through my 3 rants, which I made on my own blog and that I will not beat you over the head with on any social media anywhere. If you agree with me – great! If not, that’s cool too. You can always sound off on the comments section below and let me know how you feel about my blog and my opinions.
Remember: be a better friend and use social media responsibly. Otherwise, you come off looking like this twat:
I leave you with the aforementioned Beatles song, because we can and we will work it out. Peacefully. Without Trump.
