"The Social Network" appeared in theatres October 2010. It sparked a frenzy of controversy that halted people's ideas about social media, it's start, and the propagation of lies. I didn't see it in theatre, but I did see it. I liked it. In fact, a guy who was in the film went to my senior prom. Odd to see him on screen.
The 2016 presidential election has caused more bitterness and hate than I have seen in a long time, and I dated a Muslim! And for the most part, I can take it. I don't care how or what you voted on/for. I don't care how you vote but that you do it. It has been ingrained in me from long time back. But, my level of flabergastedness has risen quite high.
On November 8th, I was asked by quite a few people how I voted, and on many of those occasions, I told them it wasn't in my nature to talk about what happens outside the voting booth. I wore no "Make America Great Again" stickers or #imwithher hash tags on my Facebook. I kept it silently tucked away in the solemnity of my conscience. And when I woke up the next day, I was greeted with more, "If you voted for this or this, I have no time or energy or respect for you."
In 2003, Mark Zuckerberg wrote the website "Facemash" which was similar to "hot or not." It started as a campus wide popularity meter at Harvard and, in time, blew up. Today, we are defined by our social status on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. We announce our engagements, weddings, pregnancies, break-ups, divorces and dinner menus as though the world's likes are going to assuage the pain and stress of the reality we see beyond the computer screen.
Which, I suppose, brings me to my point...if Facebook began as a means to tear apart some and build others up, how could we expect it to be any different today? We throw offenses in the face of our "social media friends" like we throw pennies in the well: often and without disregard. By the same token, we accept offense even quicker like a kid who goes trick or treating. We eat up the drama. We thrive on it. Because we can't live without it.
I am no different. When I have a moment, away from the stress of work, I open Facebook and inundate my brain with the lives of people I haven't verbally spoken to in 20 years. Why? Because I can. But lately, what I read cuts and it cuts deep. 2016 has cut us to the bone and has caused more gashes and wounds in relationships than I can ever remember.
I wonder this: what percentage of opinions are changed by a post written on Facebook or tweet on Twitter? For what purpose do we decide to write a damning post? For what purpose? To change someone? To change the world? Or to prove something? Most likely to prove something that will be thrown to the wayside like a used tissue. I don't know. I really don't. Does it really matter? I don't know that either...
The 2016 presidential election has caused more bitterness and hate than I have seen in a long time, and I dated a Muslim! And for the most part, I can take it. I don't care how or what you voted on/for. I don't care how you vote but that you do it. It has been ingrained in me from long time back. But, my level of flabergastedness has risen quite high.
On November 8th, I was asked by quite a few people how I voted, and on many of those occasions, I told them it wasn't in my nature to talk about what happens outside the voting booth. I wore no "Make America Great Again" stickers or #imwithher hash tags on my Facebook. I kept it silently tucked away in the solemnity of my conscience. And when I woke up the next day, I was greeted with more, "If you voted for this or this, I have no time or energy or respect for you."
In 2003, Mark Zuckerberg wrote the website "Facemash" which was similar to "hot or not." It started as a campus wide popularity meter at Harvard and, in time, blew up. Today, we are defined by our social status on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. We announce our engagements, weddings, pregnancies, break-ups, divorces and dinner menus as though the world's likes are going to assuage the pain and stress of the reality we see beyond the computer screen.
Which, I suppose, brings me to my point...if Facebook began as a means to tear apart some and build others up, how could we expect it to be any different today? We throw offenses in the face of our "social media friends" like we throw pennies in the well: often and without disregard. By the same token, we accept offense even quicker like a kid who goes trick or treating. We eat up the drama. We thrive on it. Because we can't live without it.
I am no different. When I have a moment, away from the stress of work, I open Facebook and inundate my brain with the lives of people I haven't verbally spoken to in 20 years. Why? Because I can. But lately, what I read cuts and it cuts deep. 2016 has cut us to the bone and has caused more gashes and wounds in relationships than I can ever remember.
I wonder this: what percentage of opinions are changed by a post written on Facebook or tweet on Twitter? For what purpose do we decide to write a damning post? For what purpose? To change someone? To change the world? Or to prove something? Most likely to prove something that will be thrown to the wayside like a used tissue. I don't know. I really don't. Does it really matter? I don't know that either...
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