Listen, we
have known each other for quite a while, and I feel like we are at a point in
our relationship that we can be honest with each other. So, it is with a heavy
heart that I am holding this intervention. Yes, I said it INTERVENTION. Social media debates are getting out of control
and we are all to blame- yes even you.
In the age where social media is colliding
head on with hot topic issues, I feel as though we as a people have stopped listening
to one another. World Wide people are fighting for rights, rallying against injustices. Together we are celebrating social accomplishments- yes, the 13th Doctor I am talking to you- as well as equally important things not pertaining to Doctor who, and we
all have opinions about it. We all love that there is an open virtual community
where we can come together to discuss everything from the feral cats running
around town to the Trump Health Care Bill, in a respectful and intelligent manner.
We have the technology, now if we could only get down that whole respectful and
intelligent thing we would be all set. Because the sad truth is instead of using these assists to learn from
one another and debate in a rational manner what is really happening is quite distasteful.
Forums are filled with people SCREAMING opinions at each other- using bold
text, snide remarks, sarcasm, truly unintelligent retorts and even threats. We
are too busy ramming how we feel down each other’s throats that the benefits of
this amazing social tool are getting lost.
What was a tool
that was developed for good has been compromised and taken to the dark side.(Que
epic music here and maybe picture me wearing a cape flapping in the wind) Do not lose hope people of the world! I know
we can bring it back to the light but we need to work together. Using TMG’s Five Steps To Debate Like a Grown
Up, we can all (including myself) start communicating in a more productive
manner.
Step One: Read the article before you get outraged. Most
people only read the headlines of news articles out there (loooooong Pause) THE
FRIGGIN HEADLINE. How are you supposed to gather all the information from the
article, form an opinion and then vomit out that opinion onto social media
without truly knowing what the heck you are taking about. This is comparable to
judging a book by its cover, or judging a food by the way it looks (yea squid I
am talking to you- you delicious sea creature) We are adults and know better.
Step Two: Fact Check. Pretty simple one would think. Just because
you
A)
Read it online
B)
Think it is true
C)
REALLY REALLY want it to be true
Does not make it true. CRAZY,
RIGHT? If you want to have a conversation where you are informed with correct
information fact checking is the way to go. They even have websites and twitter
accounts that there one sole purpose is to fact check what politicians, news
channels and ordinary people spew out of their word hole. FactCheck.org being
one of them! But hey those could be biased too, so if you are a cynic, which I
think everyone is at one point or another, do a few google searches and see what
you come up with. When you have facts, and research on your side you are always
a winner- unless you know your wrong… But hey your mother will still love you
either way!
Step Three: Talk to one another like you are speaking to someone you
respect. Yes, I know it can be hard sometimes, especially when you run into
that one troll who always says that one thing that makes you totally hulk out-
but control yourself. When you speak to another person with respect even if
they are as evil as Draco Malfoy
you will come out of the debate a winner. Nowhere
in society is it OK to name call, demoralize or just plain bully someone
because they think differently than yourself. If you need to belittle someone
to make yourself feel better at your own failings than you do not deserve to
contribute. Put on your grown-up pants and act like an adult. If my child spoke
the way that half of these so-called adults did I would flip my fidget spinner.
Step Four: Does this topic really matter to you, or are you just throwing
your two cents in to be a jerk. Hey I have done it- sometimes you just cannot
help yourself, you just want to add that itsy bitsy drop of fuel to the fire
and watch the post just burn up. Yea it
can be funny, but your fun is hurting the discussion, and hurting the people
that have really thrown themselves into the discussion. When it comes to these iffy topics stay out of
it. No one wants to hear your opinion and honestly do you even want to deal
with the notification storm after you post?
Step Five: The most important of
all the steps- your opinion is YOURS, and guess what, I have an opinion as well.
We do not have to agree, and not all of us will but we do have to respect that
other humans process information differently based on the persons history, life
experiences at the time, and personal values and morals (and no values and
morals are NOT the same thing, there is a slight difference between the two
that make it important to list them both…I will not have this debate
again!). A person’s opinion can be the opposite
of what yours are, hey they can even be morally questionable, but each person
has the right to them. In the case where they differ from yours accept it-
maybe even learn from it even if that lesson is that other people think differently.
In the extreme case where the persons opinion is morally wrong well they are
clearly not going to change their mind because you think differently, and in
some cases, may even make them feel more righteous. Why give them that
satisfaction?
Bonus Step: For the love of all
that is right in the world have a sense of humor. Its ok to laugh, some things,
even inappropriate things can make one giggle. This world is so rough everyone
is so on edge that I think we can all use a good laugh now and then. For those
of you who do not find it funny unless it is hurting someone let it be! You may
not have that type of humor but do not ruin it for the rest of us. Stand on
your moral high ground far, far, away from the rest of us.
So friends, I will now close
this intervention- for now- and hope that we can all understand that this world
is made not only for you, but for me as well. Let’s get together and make it
better instead of trying to tear each other apart one comment at a time.
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