When’s the last time you overheard someone talking, disagreed with what they said and then yelled at them because you had a difference of opinion? Chances are, this isn’t something you do on a daily basis. It’s not only rude, it takes a level of confidence or perhaps narcissistic behavior that would be cordoned off to a small percentage of our society. And yet, yelling at total strangers through the lens of a keyboard is a daily occurrence within the social media space.
Welcome to the world of cyber bullying.
I’m a firm believer that most things start from a place of positivity. The idea of Facebook, Instagram and the like were billed as a way to keep in touch with your friends and perhaps connect with people you haven’t interacted with in a while. For the most part, this is probably true. It’s also true that old girlfriends and boyfriends reconnected (much to the chagrin of their current partners) and politics reared its ugly head in ways never thought possible, removing a collective good and replacing it with one that has largely become negative.
Have you ever tried texting an apology? This is possible of course, but it’s not always the most effective way to communicate. Picking up the phone and talking to someone or, better yet, speaking with them in person is usually more effective. Providing an in person apology takes courage and a level of sincerity that a text would never be able to replicate.
Using your avatar to yell at someone over social media is pointless. I’ve used the word avatar purposefully. In most cases, the person behind the keyboard would never normally rise to the same level of confrontation face to face as they are online. I assume it’s meant as a mechanism to further an agenda or fulfill a need to feel heard. In the end, neither is accomplished. Neighbors who once got along just fine are now adversaries over an online disagreement.
I feel sorry for our kids. If the adults are unable to communicate in a respectable manner online, what hope is there for the younger generation? Being passionate about a cause, a movement or a way of life is certainly admirable. Allowing it to remove compassionate behavior toward your friends, family and neighbors will lead to a level of misery and loneliness too horrible to comprehend.
Disagreement has existed in America for as long as we’ve been a country. The very idea of separating from England brought profound debate, both vocally and in written form. The events that led to our separation and Civil War were not realized overnight, they were 75 years in the making. America will continue to be divided because it’s at the core of who we are, how we were founded and how we’ve persisted throughout the course of our history.
I have no idea where we’ll end up in ten, twenty or thirty years. I can tell you this, none of our problems will be solved through social media argument or interaction. The only way to effectively communicate with one another is through candid, controlled and educated discussions. It’s harder, messy and more uncomfortable but it’s also more effective.
Of course, this is just my opinion. The cyber bullies out there may feel different.
If so, I’m sure they’ll let me know.
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