What about the right to remain silent? Why NOT exercise this right too? This can (and should) be practised more often. When it comes to social media, not everything needs to be broadcast and shared.
We see or feel something during our day, and many of us take to social media to share it. If we have an opinion that needs airing, we post it on social media. For many people, social media is their opportunity to right a wrong or air a grievance. But are we posting too many negative things online? Community anxiety is at an all-time high, and much of it comes from exposure to too much negativity on social media platforms.
A dog goes missing, and its owner is worried, so they post something online to help find it. Someone’s cactus is stolen from their garden, and their disappointment in humanity is shared. A car isn’t properly parked between two white lines. Anger is dispensed. A woman who got cut off in traffic blasts away: “To the guy in the red van. You @$%! nearly ran me off the road. I had a child in the car, you know! You could’ve gotten my daughter killed. I’ve got your number, and you’ll be hearing from the police shortly!“
Is it necessary? (Don’t get me started on those dreaded time-wasting influencers. I’ve left that topic off this post on purpose.)
The world is full of negative things without adding more to it. There are wars, famines, energy shortages, poverty, violent murders, climate issues and much more. It’s not helpful to add this with trivial heartaches. Contain our emotion like everyone in the history of world did before social media came to be.
This is why I find most of what I read on social media to be a waste of time. If someone cuts you off in traffic and you didn’t die from it, then you’re alive and well. Post how grateful you are for living. Better yet, don’t post anything at all. Hug your child. You have the vehicle’s details. It’s time to shut up and let police do their thing. That guy doesn’t even read your social media posts anyway. Let it go.
Cactus theft is a petty crime so it’s a police issue too. There’s no need to share your disappointment with the wider community. Parking anger isn’t always a policing issue but that doesn’t mean it needs the court of public opinion for support. Lynch-mob mentality is only helpful for lynching. No one lynches anyone anymore. So stop starting the process!
Which leaves a missing dog. This is when social media is truly helpful.
The rest of it is various amounts of self-indulgence, self-centredness, narcissism and, antisocial chatter.
So what if your feelings were hurt? Keep your feelings to yourself. Be brave. It won’t kill you not to speak. It’s okay. You will survive.
We need more good news items on S/M, not more negative crap. Be silent. Keep it off the social channels. Could you keep it in your head to help save the world?
Could we be silent? Could we practice refraining from speaking on these platforms?
Currently, everyone gets a say. It’s a free-for-all talkfest. It’s our right to speak. So, we exercise it. If we treat silence in the same manner, we have the choice to shut up. It’d be a challenge because, for some of us, it’d require more self-discipline than we can muster — and silence is counterproductive. We’re encouraged to say what’s on our minds. We’re so focused on making noise that we never even consider that silence is an appropriate alternative. That’s strange because silence is mysteriously powerful. Limiting what is said allows the words that are spoken to gain super strength. Between those silences is a beautiful echo that makes special words ring loudly. Nothing can stop good words from rising once they gain their momentum. But it requires quality silence to do it.
Unfortunately, social media is all words, pictures, profanity, opinions, ideas, dramas, promises, dreams, threats, etc., which turns words into white noise. Unless you’re someone famous, word momentum isn’t achievable. Little stands out as it gets buried inside an endless stream of garbled garbage. Few words last, much less ring out for future generations to enjoy. There’s always another cactus heist, another parking fopar, or another traffic incident to be shared.
When is the right time to post negative things on social media?
Probably, never.
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