I check in on my Facebook account pretty regularly.
I love it. Clients schedule massage appointments and I post reminders of Yoga classes and such on the site. So, it's for business, right? And of course, I'd hate to miss out on some big social event or a night out with friends. And the jokes crack me up. And I stay in touch with family. So yeah, I dig the social media.
And yet, there must be something in the air these days. I have a diverse group of online friends and am seeing some harsh posts these days. Atheists posting on stupidity of religious people. Religious folks offending the "morally corrupt" agnostics and their parenting skills.
Then there's the political posts. "You're favorite politician is a criminal and a liar, and you're an idiot if you agree with them in any way." or something like that.
There's also a glut of "facts" that aren't that get posted. You know. "Facebook is charging". The amazing photoshopped pictures. The "missing children" and the breaking news that's actually several years old.
These things are not new on social networks, but it seems to me there's just way more of it this week, which brings me to my thoughts on the subject:
The world is diverse. It's part of the beauty of humanity. The online world is also diverse. There are people who disagree with you and with whom you disagree. Want to discuss it with them? OK fine. But please remember that these are real human beings with history and baggage and feelings that you're interacting with.
You could hurt somebody's feelings. You'd likely never say mean things to someone in person, so why be a prick online?
Check your facts. If you're posting or re-posting some tidbit of information, do everyone a favor and google it first. Get your answer from a reliable source, or even multiple reliable sources. Better yet, check snopes.com. They do a great job at fact-checking internet rumors. If you don't have the time or desire to check it out, then please do not post it! If you happen to see some false rumor posted, and you're compelled to respond, again, remember these are humans you're talking to. Find a gentle way of letting them down. I'm not the queen of tact here, so draw on your own resources to find a way to be kind.
Learn to spell-check. You know, those little red lines that come up under your words as you type? (most computers do this) Yeah, that means it's not spelled correctly. Oh, you're a person who has perfect spelling and grammar? Congratulations; now don't be a douche. No one wants everything they write to be scrutinized in that way, so put away your red pen.
Personally, I love to read posts of all sorts, from your political views, to your kid's tee-ball pictures. I eat that up and can't get enough. Like I said, just remember you're interacting with real live people with feelings. If you've had enough of what they say, you can always hide or unfriend them. That's kinder than being outright mean to them.
