Someone I know and like posted this on Facebook last week:
DEAR SINGERS AND ACTORS:
We spend our hard earned money to hear
your music. And to watch you pretend to
be characters in movies and on TV.
Your only job is to entertain us. To take
us away from reality.
Your personal opinion means nothing to us.
You are significant and influential only in
your own mind. And within the minds of
your elitist peers.
You are a marionette to us. Nothing more.
SING. ACT.
SHUT UP.
Wow. Just, wow!
I mean, what an incredibly harsh thing to direct at another person. You wouldn't say that to anybody's face, would you? Or to any other person you ran into in your every day life?
If the checkout girl at the grocery store said something to you about enjoying the weather when you thought it was too hot, you wouldn't snarl at them and say "Just scan my groceries and take my money. You and your opinions don't matter to anyone. You're just a minimum wage earning machine."
I hate that the remove of a screen seems to make it ok to treat people horribly.
I also find that comment hypocritical. So a wealthy and famous person isn't "supposed to" use the platform that they have gained by a combination of talent, luck, and hard work to share their opinions, but you are allowed to use the platform you have gained by signing up for a Facebook account and acquiring some "friends" to share yours? See the irony there? It's practically screaming at me!
What I wanted to do was tell this person (in a kind and gentle way) that she was being mean and horrible. That her meme was really at odds with some other ones she posted right after that. Like this one:
"I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another"
--Jeffrey R. Holland
You can't have it both ways, mate. You can't speak horribly about people in one breath, and then go full-force Christian in the next. If God cherishes all people alike, you were just a major jerk to a beloved child of God. I don't think He will be really happy about that.
I see so many "good Christians" acting like this. I see members of my own church claiming to love God and then openly mocking His children. Why? Because they don't believe the same things? Because they have different opinions on social policy? Because they said something you don't agree with? That's utter madness! Opinions are like a$*holes. Everyone's got one, and most of them stink!
I've tried to be more kind to people with differing opinions to mine in the last two weeks. Writing my last post made me think, and I know that I am guilty of making fun of people who don't think like I do. And so, when I read that first post and I looked at the memes surrounding it (a LOT of negativity, anger and hate from this person, guys!) I decided to think more deeply about this lovely person and wonder why that emotion was there. Instead of angrily posting a reply, I realised that she must be unhappy right now. And so I directed some positive energy her way and tried not to dwell on the hypocrisy and vitriol.
Always be kind.
Love one another.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Don't feed the trolls.
Wise words to live by!
Saturday, March 02, 2019
Monday, February 18, 2019
Because if I bite my tongue one more time, it might fall off...
There was a political/moral issue making the social media rounds a few weeks back, and I felt passionate about it. I kept quiet on the matter until someone I know to be fair minded asked on Facebook for different opinions. So I shared mine. I did it in an intelligent and intense way, and felt really good about the comment. Then I had a mini-panic attack while I sat back and waited for the hate to roll in.
That's a problem.
I am an opinionated person. If something important is going on, I like to educate myself using multiple sources or, whenever possible, the direct source. Then I think about the matter and form my own opinion. I draw on my own life experiences, try to see things from others' perspectives, and be thoughtful and empathetic. You know, like a grown up. But lately, I have kept quiet about those opinions. Well, with everybody except Martin. Poor guy, he has to hear ALL of my opinions.
So why am I no longer talking about the way I feel? I never used to stress out about how my opinions would be received. I relished a good debate! Now I practically have a melt down when I express an unpopular opinion on social media. What's changed?
I'd like to think that it's the rest of the world. To a certain extent, it is. People these days think that their political parties define them, and we have generally become intolerant of differing opinions. And the remove of a computer or phone screen makes us more likely to attack others viciously. Something I've really been thinking in the last few days is that we are more than our political affiliation. So much more! To reduce the people in our lives to nothing more than an "R" or a "D," or any other label, is really doing them a disservice.
I'd like to think it's that.
But really, truth be told, I have become a coward.
I tried so hard to be non-objectionable while we were living with my parents. Obviously I failed, since my dad told me I was argumentative and impossible to live with, but I did my best. And since then, I have continued to bite my tongue in most public places and on most public forums. In some cases, it has been an attempt to keep the peace. But most of the time, it has been out of fear of causing "drama" or making people angry.
Guess what? I am a politically unaffiliated though unashamedly liberal woman. I have been ever since I first started taking an interest in world affairs and started forming my own opinions. I live in a very conservative area, and have a very conservative extended family. I disagree with so many of the things they are passionate about. And I need an outlet. Because if I bite my tongue one more time, it might fall off!
So the nature of my blog is changing. If I can't be more courageous in my online persona and face to face interactions, then I can at least be brave in my writing. Expressing my opinion on Facebook felt good, even with the panic attack. I need to talk about the things that matter to me. So be prepared!
That's a problem.
I am an opinionated person. If something important is going on, I like to educate myself using multiple sources or, whenever possible, the direct source. Then I think about the matter and form my own opinion. I draw on my own life experiences, try to see things from others' perspectives, and be thoughtful and empathetic. You know, like a grown up. But lately, I have kept quiet about those opinions. Well, with everybody except Martin. Poor guy, he has to hear ALL of my opinions.
So why am I no longer talking about the way I feel? I never used to stress out about how my opinions would be received. I relished a good debate! Now I practically have a melt down when I express an unpopular opinion on social media. What's changed?
I'd like to think that it's the rest of the world. To a certain extent, it is. People these days think that their political parties define them, and we have generally become intolerant of differing opinions. And the remove of a computer or phone screen makes us more likely to attack others viciously. Something I've really been thinking in the last few days is that we are more than our political affiliation. So much more! To reduce the people in our lives to nothing more than an "R" or a "D," or any other label, is really doing them a disservice.
I'd like to think it's that.
But really, truth be told, I have become a coward.
I tried so hard to be non-objectionable while we were living with my parents. Obviously I failed, since my dad told me I was argumentative and impossible to live with, but I did my best. And since then, I have continued to bite my tongue in most public places and on most public forums. In some cases, it has been an attempt to keep the peace. But most of the time, it has been out of fear of causing "drama" or making people angry.
Guess what? I am a politically unaffiliated though unashamedly liberal woman. I have been ever since I first started taking an interest in world affairs and started forming my own opinions. I live in a very conservative area, and have a very conservative extended family. I disagree with so many of the things they are passionate about. And I need an outlet. Because if I bite my tongue one more time, it might fall off!
So the nature of my blog is changing. If I can't be more courageous in my online persona and face to face interactions, then I can at least be brave in my writing. Expressing my opinion on Facebook felt good, even with the panic attack. I need to talk about the things that matter to me. So be prepared!
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