My spouse only begrudgingly holds a Facebook account. I think he keeps it around to help share my blog occasionally, or to have some way to watch blooper type videos when he’s bored in a doctor’s office or too frustrated with his Injustice game on his phone to play it for like five minutes or so. Regardless, he’ll be the first to tell me he hates Facebook, and I stopped trying to tag him in cool stuff long ago. His sporadic use of the social media outlet makes it pointless.
But sometimes I get it. I understand his frustration. Recently I was scrolling through my newsfeed when I came across one of those train wreck status updates. You know what I mean; it’s like you try to look away, but you can’t. Your drawn into the comments section, and before you know it you’re just shaking your head. How can people be so mean?!
Have you ever noticed that social media is the new ladies’ room, the latest and greatest place for females to congregate and hate on someone?
It’s almost like watching wild hyenas on the Discovery Channel as they descend in a pack upon a wounded animal and begin to tear it savagely to pieces. Seriously.
Something happens when women get together, but on social media they can be a bit more brave and faceless. One woman makes a catty remark, the next chimes in with “oh, I know who you’re talking about,” and before you know it ladies are lining up in the comments section to say something horrible and heartless.
Not to be undone, though, I see just as many fellas coming to the feast of ugliness. Next thing you know there’s an entire trail of bashing and thoughtless comments thrown across the Internet. It might be shameful if so many people weren’t distracted by their own cruel laughter.
I think sometimes we all fall into this trap. It’s like pointing out the faults of another make us feel better about ourselves, but in the end it only makes us look worse.
I’m not trying to stand on a pedestal claiming I’m any kind of perfect, but when I see bullying I call it just that. When I see ugly, well I call it by its name. There’s no need in people fueling the flame of each other’s indignation, and to callously and brutally gang up on someone is downright mean. Am I the only person who doesn’t wish to relive the high school hierarchy of cruel cliques and heartless jabs at someone?!
Mean people, cruel crassness, brutal bullying, and the way the masses leap on it like flies to a dead carcass is despicable. It’s the reason my husband hates Facebook, and honestly, it makes me want to hate it too. It’s embarrassing as a woman to see so many ladies who attack one another on a regular basis, and it’s shameful as human beings that so many of us jump on the bandwagon to say something awful when our turn comes up. Didn’t anyone’s momma teach them if you can’t say something nice to say nothing at all.
I don’t hate Facebook. I’m not going to throw out the baby with the bath water. I enjoy connecting with others, offering encouragement, and looking at cute baby pictures. And yes, I like the blooper type videos too. In life, not just social media, although it’s certainly the place to start, we should try harder to build people up, think before we speak (or type), and consider how powerful words are to destroy someone. I mean, do you really want to destroy someone?
Paula Graves says
Good read Brie