I was having a conversation recently with someone about the pros and cons of social media. As we talked, we discussed how awesome it was to connect with people from all over the world and learn and grow from shared experiences. We both agreed that the power of social media is certainly valuable, but with great power, comes great responsibility. Our conversation then shifted to the negative sides of social media where many people like to call out the faults of others and relentlessly pile on with others to completely bury someone. When this happens, we inevitably build up a wall where there is only right versus wrong and nuance plays no role in the conversation. Those who participate in the conversation are forced into choosing a side and if they don't choose correctly, they will become part of the ongoing narrative that ends up going nowhere. No matter how hard some try to insert some logic into the story, it gets lost because you can't use logic with illogical people. Overall, the conversation was excellent and we both agreed that we could do better to educate others on the appropriate use of social media, but maybe not use social media to do so.
There is an old proverb that states, "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" and I think this is a perfect example of how the world of social media works. If you're not familiar with this proverb, it means that people who have faults should not criticize other people for having the same faults. Unfortunately, there are a number of people who don't agree with this because if you troll social media platforms on a regular basis, you will encounter a number of people who portray themselves as righteous and beyond reproach if you don't subscribe to their beliefs or if you dare to disagree with them. The conversation quickly becomes toxic and then turns into a sounding board where healthy dialogue and learning cease to exist.
At various points in time, I have taken a hiatus from social media so I can reset. I have sometimes thought about quitting it altogether because I don't need the added drama in my life, but I ultimately come back because I crave the connection with people. I don't agree on a lot of things that my family and friends believe, but I am not about to cut them out of my life by disconnecting from them. Instead, I just try to read, listen, and learn to I can see their perspective, no matter how difficult it might be. When it comes down to brass tacks, it is not for me to judge them or throw stones because I know that I have my own faults and beliefs that they might disagree with. This is why living in a glass house requires constant care and attention.
At the end of the day, my hope is that we can all MODEL to others how we want to be treated by others. It doesn't mean that we have to agree all the time, but we can be kind to one another in the process. If we would all commit to that basic premise, we might actually make some progress in this world.
#OwnYourEpic #Connect
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