Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Why screaming at people on social networking sites is dumb.

So as a member of "Facebook", "Twitter", "Skype", etc.  I know that putting my viewpoints out there is sometimes going to irritate another member. Usually, because the members (people, friends, tweeps) are part of a like minded group or are actually friends in real life, you don't expect to be screamed at for an opinion that may differ from anothers.  Now when I say "screamed at" I speak not just of those WHO SPEAK IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS to let you know they are upset, but also of those folks who will continue to rant against you on a topic that they just know in their hearts is right in their view and wrong in mine. Case in point...

Over the past 24 hours I have gotten over 18 twitter messages from an individual, who shall remain nameless, because someday he'll realize what an absolute ass he's been & I want that moment to be his alone (although he may just continue to be an ass, but that's his problem). This individual has a problem with the fact that I have some Palestinian friends and I RT (re-tweet) some of their messages about where they live & what they think. Now I also have some Israeli friends who agree with the Palestinians & I RT their msgs too. I would and do the dame with anyone reporting atrocities where they are. But this particular individual has taken it upon himself to berate, argue, offer deals, & a host of other things (calling me an idiot every other msg is my favorite) to get me around to his way of seeing things. He especially likes to reference Israelis as "dirty Jews" in some strange attempt at what I'm not sure, but that does trouble me, because to call Israelis that is just shy of neo-nazi propaganda. And I have never felt that way about another ethnic group (just to clarify). Now, his ranting, which after the 5th msg I stopped replying to and said "We're not going to agree, do let's just let it go", but he kept on going. I wonder if he feels he's going to change my opinions or just likes to berate others. Either way, he looks like an idiot.

And that's really the point of this post. If someone disagrees with you and has maybe gone back-n-forth a bit, but then lets go by agreeing to disagree, just let go. You can have your opinion all you want, # away! Let the world know, but stop trying to use Twitter or FB as a bully pulpit for what you believe if someone disagrees, its ok. It's our right as Americans! Otherwise you just look like a bully. And usually an idiotic one at that.

#Peace #Love & #Understanding

Suz

2 comments:

  1. I once watched a forum thread grow to 500+ pages from a the question, 'What causes relationships to fail?'. They went back and forth arguing and giving different scenario's all of which were reasons why relationships fail, but of course none answered the question correctly.

    I was one of those kids growing up everyone loved to hate as I always knew the answers to the teachers questions (at least if I were interested in the topic) and never took home work home with me. I'm one of those wierd personality types of INFJ (meyers-briggs) who for some reason gets answers (again, when interested in topic)before enough information has been given to make that possible.

    I can remember some of my teachers thinking somehow I must be cheating while others smiled knowingly and avoided asking me questions to keep me out of the hot seat with the other students.

    I have always been withdrawn and introverted except on the internet where I feel a little freer to express myself. I have learned to dumb myself down sometimes to the point of my own demise when people start assuming I'm not that bright or perhaps even a dullard. This is fine but one thing I've always found insulting is for someone to explain things that to me are obvious. For this reason I often am vague in my conversations to avoid insulting someone by assuming they might not know whatever.

    Anyway, back to the relationship question; one day a really nasty flame war erupted between several I liked so I answered the question. The answer to me was obvious when I first saw it, but through 500+ pages had eluded some bright people (a science forum with many phd's floating about), the answer is, 'fatigue'. One word succinctly sums up the root of all the various reasons. I'm sure all have heard, 'can't see the forest for the trees'.

    Often in life we get caught up on the issues that make up whatever and fail to see things clearly. I think this is key, to understanding situations like the one you describe.

    For whatever the reason, the person them self could probably give us the true grit, people get sidetracked. We find this prominent in all walks of life, but certainly in politics. This said, sometimes it is extremely difficult to turn one to correct thinking while other times it is impossible as the individual/s don't know them self.

    I'm sorry you have had to experience the behavior and hope that it will end soon. For me, I make a quick judgment, is the person salvageable and worth the effort for the situation involved, if so I take the time, if not I simply block them as I have far more than I will ever accomplish that I want to get done and simply don't have the time for someone not interested in learning them self.

    'the noblest then for one to learn is them self...' -- quote mine, not the ellipsis which requires a right conclusion from the reader.

    Sorry for the verbosity...

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    Replies
    1. No need to apologise. Well said! I was a kid like that too btw.

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