I don’t know when I first noticed that my Facebook feed was filled with comments about how stupid a person must be to vote for a Republican/Democrat.
Can’t say that such a distinction would make a difference either.
What I know is that I see these disparaging remarks made by educated people and that they are applied liberally about those they disagree with.
Vote for or support the wrong party and I can guarantee that someone will call you an idiot and or ask why you are so dumb.
I mentioned this to a few people and someone told me that my observation meant I didn’t really understand what was going on and suggested I read more.
If they had balls they would have told me they thought I was stupid or ignorant and not couched it in condescending and passive-aggressive finery.
It’s Ok To Disagree
Had we been face-to-face they would have known how dumb I thought their comment was. I wouldn’t have bothered to use the poker face.
I teach my children it is ok to disagree with others and that we can be civil when we do it. I teach them not to be afraid to challenge their beliefs and to be willing to stand alone if need be.
Lately that seems to be a lost art.
It feels like we have entered a time of finger pointing and an intolerance for being offended.
Every week we read or hear another story about people crying about how they are being abused because they were exposed to thought they didn’t like.
It is not always hate speech. It is not always something so horrid or awful that your jaw drops because you can’t believe you just heard it, or at least it is not the kind of hate speech I am thinking of.
Now it is just speech you disagree with. Now it is just rolling your eyes at someone else because you disagree with whom they want to elect to office.
We Used To Be Better
I want to say we used to be better but the truth is I am not convinced we were.
Since I am not providing any sort of factual analysis or evidence to support any of my positions it is possible I am wrong and possible I am right.
Thing is, if I did provide such a thing people who disagree with it would call it left/right wing propaganda and dismiss it.
They’d dismiss it because if it doesn’t follow their beliefs or fall into their political perspective it is automatically declared false.
There is something both sad and disturbing about that.
We should be better.
Tim Bonner November 12, 2015 at 11:15 am
I had a terrible time on social media as an Englishman during the Scottish independence referendum. I was a no voter and shared some stuff about that on Twitter. I can’t remember how many people I blocked in the end but it was a lot. I really don’t mind people disagreeing with me but they have to be civil about it!
I have to say when I see Donald Trump on the TV I have to laugh. I see him as a bit of a madman who bought a piece of land on the Aberdeenshire coast to build a gold course. He rants and raves about wind farms being built and how that will affect the view from his fairways. Maybe I just haven’t connected with him!
Joshua Wilner November 13, 2015 at 7:22 am
Hi Tim,
Well I have to imagine you got the usual dose of nasty and crazy, that seems to be the way of the world now. People get so damn upset when you shine a light on what they don’t like or believe.
That is never fun.
Danny Brown November 13, 2015 at 8:34 am
The Scots can be jingoistic arseholes when it comes to the topic of devolution/independence. And that’s coming from a Scot. 🙂
Danny Brown November 12, 2015 at 9:42 am
Hey there mate,
I always smile when I see people complaining on Facebook, or Twitter, etc., about something I said, or something one of my friends said. Because it’s all opt-in.
You’re a vegan and you don;t like my bacon pictures? Unfollow. You’re religious and you don’t like my anti-religious stance? Unfollow. You’re a single person and you don’t like my kid pics? Unfollow.
Life’s too short to hang around people you fundamentally disagree with. If you can’t be around, and take part in an adult and civil discussion, then close the door on the way out. I’m not your babysitter, and you’re not my moral guardian.
It’s funny how much more enjoyable your social media experience will be when you follow that simple mindset.
Hey ho. 🙂
Joshua Wilner November 12, 2015 at 11:57 pm
Part of what prompted this are the posts and articles I have read about university students who say they can’t function because they don’t have ‘safe’ spaces to live and study in.
I understand if you are the target of hate speech and you are being threatened but what I don’t understand is why people think they are entitled not to be offended or upset.
It makes me wonder and question what sort of world we are living in and creating. Part of the purpose and reason I read posts/articles that don’t follow my POV is to see if I am missing something.
I challenge myself and my beliefs to make sure they make sense.
It is ok to disagree. Sometimes we have to agree to disagree because that is life and like you said, if you are not being forced to ‘consume’ all you have to do is choose to go a different way.
Change the channel, unsubscribe etc.
Danny Brown November 13, 2015 at 5:01 am
It makes me wonder what some parents are teaching their kids as to what should be given to them.
I read an article this week about the 10 things your kids should be able to do by middle grade, and I thought, seriously? We need articles for this?
I was doing all that stuff by the time I was 10, and I know my school friends were too. It seems by encouraging our kids to be less like us, we’re actually making them worse.
Gah.