There I said it. The reality that everyone knows to be true but can't or won't admit. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Snapchat and so on. They use to be places to enjoy similar interest and keep up with others. But, lately these places have begun to take on a darker and more disappointing mask and the negative trends are already clear. Social media has become a place of opinionated perspectives, emotionally charged posts, and easily offended users.
We have become ignorant to the world around us and believe that sitting behind a screen allows us to decide that hate and nastiness is appropriate all because we don't agree about something. When did that become acceptable? I guess now? I mean it seems the reality in society is now suddenly teaching us that disagreement gives us the grounds for personal hatred. I mean I shouldn't even be having to say this to all of you! Seriously how old are we? What happened to disagree but accepting? Or even voicing opposite opinions in a respectful and learnable way?
I am sick of seeing these post that say, "If you don't agree about keeping the 2nd Amendment than unfriend me" or "If you support Trump than delete me from your friends list." I understand we don't have to fully understand or feel okay with one another's views, but we do have to respect each others views. Especially in our country we all have the freedom of speech to express our views and state our mind but in the same token that means we can't try and take that freedom from each other. All of us deserve to be able to say what we are thinking without being attacked for whatever belief we have. On top of that it, seems everyone has become offended by being different and I wanna know why.
If you're offended even reading this right now, I'm glad. It means you aren't like me, it means that you feel triggered and are passionately against something I've said and thats good, it shows we all still have our differences. However, I warn that just because you're offended doesn't mean you're right. We must be careful that we don't grow blind to other perspectives or to hearing the other side give their opinion. There are always two sides of the coin, and if we ignore that, then we have grown ignorant to the world and the realities it holds. Ignorance is the downfall of who we are as people.
I know this topic is touchy but I am just sick of the culture we have evolved into. We have to stop preaching that clashing views makes someone your enemy. Let's agree to disagree, maybe hear each other out or even consider the other sides view. We should all get and stay informed not just in what we believe but also in the opposing views. That makes for wise, educated and mature conversation. Let's stop using social media as on excuse to hate but rather use it to inform the world and make life a litter better post by post.
I wanna see people talking and understanding, disagreeing but growing, opposing but open to new ideas. It's time we stopped social media opposition and started social media outreach. Find controversy and tackle it with wisdom and optimism and a new reality that there is more. Stop being so ignorant! Stop being so offendable! Most of all please stop being so stupid! Get wise or get off!!