On April 16th Ms, Tashay Edwards approached a young unnamed girl who apparently had beef on WorldStar Hip Hope and Twitter. It got ranked with the elicit back and forth between the two individuals. Then it became real as shown in this video:
At this point, this is where social media encroaches upon people's real lives. And perhaps we need some time to log off. Who cares what people think online about you? They talked about Jesus Christ and you saw what they did to Him... They are dayum sho going to talk about you.
It is why at times like these, I just post "Memes" - short sayings made by others who can convey a "soundbite" within seconds. They are easy and I also know, I'm not the only one thinking these thoughts. Most of my "memes" are uplifting and I pass them on. Others, I have seen are sick and I myself would not pass them on, but I know people who do.
One meme that has been passed around, which is quite humorous is one with the actor Gene Wilder, as the 1971 Willy Wonka image:
There are ZERO restraints on the internet. People say, think and do, whatever they want on the web without filters or vaseline. There are actions and behaviors that if done in real life, people would be shunned as sociopaths. Sadly, most legitimate sources of social media attempt some decorum. But when there are adults, such as Rush Limbaugh saying that women who take birth control are sluts, and it drives the "LIKES" and the "RETWEETS" and several blog posts, then civil discourse and decorum is irrelevant, even in real life.
WE CAN DO BETTER! WE HAVE IF WE WANT TO SURVIVE AS HUMANS!
It is not a matter of just "logging off". You would not say that about the telephone anymore would you? Would you say that about books? Information, from analog to digital reception enters our minds, our brains interpret and give analysis called reflection and spew out our knowledge based on it - most of it emotional. Many people these days have not grow up with complete control of their emotions, because as a society we wanted the full range of technological development through creativity, which inherently requires emotion. The dark side of emotion is anger and rage -- which is the easiest emotion to tap into to gain power over distressing situations.
Why when we see an offensive post, comment or tweet our immediate gut reaction is to get angry that leads us to fight rather than just not answering it? Even if the attack is personally against us, such as "calling us out" publicly on top social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or boutique sites such as WorldStar Hip Hop? Why respond to such foolishness and just block?
Because of embarrassment, shame and insecurities that cannot be fixed in two dimensions. No one likes being publicly ridiculed and we have not gotten to what bullying is. This blog is just about an offensive post.
No reason why people who instigate it like doing it. Other people motivations require several Ph.D.'s studying this phenomena of social media. But the fact is you are the only person who can control your impulsive thoughts.
I know, it is very hard. And sometimes, I stand beside myself and attempt to take a dispassionate stance. I feel like I have to have dissociative identity disorder to do it and that is not who I am in real life. Living on social media is not my preference, because my real life is beautiful. I may be addicted, just like 50 years from now, they will say social media is just as addictive as nicotine in tobacco... But for now, I have come to the conclusion that the block button is my friend and if it is grossly offensive, I screen shot it and post it up with minor comments.
My engagement level with the disagreeable is down from 80% to 20% within a year. And that is good for me. I have also set standards for myself as to goals I wish to accomplish during my times spent on social media. Most of my goals are supreme interactivity between all my sites, connectivity, imaging, branding and insightful content based on marketing metrics and analytics.
I have had to stop cursory engagement with random individuals that I do not know in real life. It has gotten superfluous to me, personally. If I do not meet them and find them outside of my purview of my goals, my engagement is limited. VERY FEW INDIVIDUALS are allowed into my inner circle that I have not met physically and they know who they are and I appreciate their efforts of mutual values we share.
If anything, that is how my real life is. My friendships are limited. Those who know me, love me no matter what. Those who do not know me and do not like me, will gossip and lie and it took me forever to get over that concept in real life. Now it is fast on social media.
And when I am done with an individual, I find it let them go, have nothing to with them and move my life along. Because I think, my life is short and I need to have meaning in it to glorify God. So I am not going to waste my time on things that really have very little bearing on who I really am to people that love me for being me.
Stay blessed for who you are, and I do love you and thank you for taking time to read my blog.
DrG-
