I admit I'm old-school, and some of my attitudes may seem quaint when scrutinized against current standards. In my mind, saying 'please' or 'thank you' should be like breathing: you're only sometimes aware of doing it, because it's become such automatic behavior. Respecting another person's opinion is part of comfortable social discourse, and listening when being spoken to is not only expected, but how society functions.
Enter Social Media. The New Beast among us.
Not only have the rules of social discourse changed, more importantly -- there no longer seem to be any rules.
People, hiding anonymously behind social profiles of their own creation, will frequently spew out whatever is on their mind. The content that pours out can not only be disturbing, but downright vile. Most often, it's simply a re-hash of what someone else has said or shared -- it's not their own original thought. Frequently, the content is downright banal, like pictures of naked celebrity body parts, or reports of outrageous behavior from someone famous (who is ultimately trying to pad their own bankroll. You know that, right?)
I find this to be an absolute tragedy.
See......here we have this absolutely extraordinary medium. With the click of a few buttons, we can spread our thoughts across continents. Across time. Across generations. This medium has the power to reunite lost loves, find missing family members, inspire those who may be considering self-harm, teach children who would otherwise not have access to knowledge -- the list is endless. And we fall so short of that power. Honestly, People -- is sending fart jokes across the Universe the best we can do?
Hear me well, please: I'm not saying there isn't room for frivolity, because there certainly is. I adore a good joke, and will laugh with absolute delight when a pool of online friends banters back and forth. So that's not the problem. This is the problem: we need to curb as a society, not just on social media where it is reflected, but in society as a whole, the way everyone has become so so adamant about things, and the viciousness with which we share our opinions.
Being old-school, I remember when authorities on topics were consulted in times of crisis. They had earned their authority either through education or experience, but most often both. They were treated with respect as they shared their hard earned know-how, and when they were done speaking, everyone had a solid understanding of the facts. They could then decide how they and their family should proceed with the new knowledge they'd gained.
Yes. I acknowledge this format still exists, but the response of our culture has changed.
Here's how that change began. For whatever reason (probably money, it's always about money, isn't it?) somebody way back when decided it would be a good idea to stick a microphone in someone's face as they walked out of a grocery store, and see what that person thought about the same topic. Now someone hoisting shampoo and oranges over his arm (in order to better grab the microphone) was given airtime in which to challenge the expert. The Ph.D. sitting under the studio lights was now expected to to respond to this feedback, and defend his learning against this random person's opinion. (An opinion which may or may not have been formed using knowledge by the way, but often -- by this person's random thoughts or emotions).
Let's fast forward to now. Hilarity regularly ensues as groups of experts shout at each other. Not only are they trying to be heard over one another, but also over what people are saying about the same topic on social media. Our respect for each other as people has disappeared, as our perception of opinions, either our own or someone else's, has risen.
Regrettably, this hasn't been a graceful transition for our country.
The regurgitation-of-opinions-that-don't-really-matter has progressed to online activities partly because now people don't even have to go to the grocery store. Now they can sit in their underwear at home, sprinkling sandwich crumbs all over their keyboard while waxing on about something about which they have zero understanding. Then other people get inflamed because those comments insult their opinion. So they respond, and the crazy cycle continues. All of this happens because the guy in his underwear feels his opinion is as worthy, and in some cases, is even more worthy, than someone else's. And so does everyone else reading this fellow's comments, so then they decide they've become offended, and it's their turn to sound off.
Now listen closely: I'm not saying that the guy in his underwear isn't entitled to his opinion. Of course he is. This is 'Merica, by God -- he can say whatever he wants. That's why I'm
Enter Social Media. The New Beast among us.
Not only have the rules of social discourse changed, more importantly -- there no longer seem to be any rules.
People, hiding anonymously behind social profiles of their own creation, will frequently spew out whatever is on their mind. The content that pours out can not only be disturbing, but downright vile. Most often, it's simply a re-hash of what someone else has said or shared -- it's not their own original thought. Frequently, the content is downright banal, like pictures of naked celebrity body parts, or reports of outrageous behavior from someone famous (who is ultimately trying to pad their own bankroll. You know that, right?)
I find this to be an absolute tragedy.
See......here we have this absolutely extraordinary medium. With the click of a few buttons, we can spread our thoughts across continents. Across time. Across generations. This medium has the power to reunite lost loves, find missing family members, inspire those who may be considering self-harm, teach children who would otherwise not have access to knowledge -- the list is endless. And we fall so short of that power. Honestly, People -- is sending fart jokes across the Universe the best we can do?
Hear me well, please: I'm not saying there isn't room for frivolity, because there certainly is. I adore a good joke, and will laugh with absolute delight when a pool of online friends banters back and forth. So that's not the problem. This is the problem: we need to curb as a society, not just on social media where it is reflected, but in society as a whole, the way everyone has become so so adamant about things, and the viciousness with which we share our opinions.
Being old-school, I remember when authorities on topics were consulted in times of crisis. They had earned their authority either through education or experience, but most often both. They were treated with respect as they shared their hard earned know-how, and when they were done speaking, everyone had a solid understanding of the facts. They could then decide how they and their family should proceed with the new knowledge they'd gained.
Yes. I acknowledge this format still exists, but the response of our culture has changed.
Here's how that change began. For whatever reason (probably money, it's always about money, isn't it?) somebody way back when decided it would be a good idea to stick a microphone in someone's face as they walked out of a grocery store, and see what that person thought about the same topic. Now someone hoisting shampoo and oranges over his arm (in order to better grab the microphone) was given airtime in which to challenge the expert. The Ph.D. sitting under the studio lights was now expected to to respond to this feedback, and defend his learning against this random person's opinion. (An opinion which may or may not have been formed using knowledge by the way, but often -- by this person's random thoughts or emotions).
Let's fast forward to now. Hilarity regularly ensues as groups of experts shout at each other. Not only are they trying to be heard over one another, but also over what people are saying about the same topic on social media. Our respect for each other as people has disappeared, as our perception of opinions, either our own or someone else's, has risen.
Regrettably, this hasn't been a graceful transition for our country.
The regurgitation-of-opinions-that-don't-really-matter has progressed to online activities partly because now people don't even have to go to the grocery store. Now they can sit in their underwear at home, sprinkling sandwich crumbs all over their keyboard while waxing on about something about which they have zero understanding. Then other people get inflamed because those comments insult their opinion. So they respond, and the crazy cycle continues. All of this happens because the guy in his underwear feels his opinion is as worthy, and in some cases, is even more worthy, than someone else's. And so does everyone else reading this fellow's comments, so then they decide they've become offended, and it's their turn to sound off.
Now listen closely: I'm not saying that the guy in his underwear isn't entitled to his opinion. Of course he is. This is 'Merica, by God -- he can say whatever he wants. That's why I'm