Judgment, Diatribes, and Social Media’s Evolution

Let’s premise this whole thing. If you’ve accessed this through facebook and I’ve engaged with you over the past six months, you’re not identifiable with characteristics below.

The most fascinating revelation arising from the phenomenon of “social media” has been the propensity of more folks than expected to wield insults and criticism thereby deploying a sense of personal power on a stage unavailable to previous generations. When these same folks wouldn’t dare make such radical broadcasts at the dinner table with their grandmother, they’re all over the internet. Occasionally a healthy debate breaks out on a “thread” whereby not one individual insults while presenting an argument and I shimmy in my home office chair thinking there may be hope.    

The second most fascinating revelation is the vanity expressed by some. I wonder about the staleness of some homes responsible for nurturing the self esteem of children and what happens to the emerging adult whose vitality has been stifled during youth. I think to myself that “social media” serves as a conduit for actualizing lost lustre of neglect from formative years.  I wonder while unconvinced. Don’t be confused by all those nice pictures of you and your family, activities and such. Keep ‘em coming.

Could these platforms also serve to simply feed the egos of some who didn’t pursue higher education but now have a forum to display their smarts? I believe this to be partly true in some cases with other aggregating motives.

My confidence in the human condition has been weakened when I aggregate the behaviour that I see on “social media”. I can’t help putting the term in italics because I consider the term “social” to aberrant of the actual interactions foundational to the platforms (exception of note – my membership in an imaginary band). Although weakened, I take solace in the fact that people for the most part are followers because they haven’t been taught nor nurtured in how to lead with moral strength. The lessons of our forefathers in characteristics such as duty, pride, dignity, compassion, tolerance, and respect have been lost on many. Yes… many and their foolishness is now more transparent than ever.   

On the topic of politics in social media, I’m intrigued by formative arguments here or there. However; I believe that anybody whose lifeblood on politics is poured into the feeds of social media should really consider running for office especially if the tone is akin to one long diatribe. Otherwise, at the minimum one might balance posts with other areas of interest. If posts number more than two a day, I’m thinking you have an agenda rather than a healthy sincere compulsion to share.