But there is always a flipside to something this great. I like a local News Page and they post updates about the local news. Since we don't have TV, this is how I stay up on what is going on all around me. The other day there was a post about a mother being charged with a misdemeanor in the death of her baby. She had left the baby in the car in her driveway on a hot day in June. I do not know this family, but am familiar with some of the inside details as to how this mistake occurred. Many people jumped to conclusions and accused this poor mother of murdering her baby (those were the exact words of an individual on Facebook.) I attempted to stand up for the family on the post and ask that we not judge them harshly and not use the anonymity of Facebook to ridicule others. I was then torn apart for asking such a request and "telling them (the other posters) what to do." When did people become so calloused and unfeeling? My heart breaks for this family and this poor mother. Having two young children, I know how quickly you can become distracted and make mistakes. I'm just lucky that none of my mistakes have had this tragic of an outcome. All but a few of the posts on this Facebook page were mean, spiteful and similar to what a bully would say. Is this not a form of bullying? If you can sit in the comfort of your own home and spew hateful things from your laptop or smart phone towards another human being, that your don't even know, are you not a bully? This family is hurting more than most of us could ever begin to comprehend, why would you want to drive the hurt deeper? If you feel the need to speak out, say something productive. Talk about prevention of infant deaths in cars. Don't use the power of social media to harm another individual. Sure, it's only mental harm, but does that not destroy a little part of someone's soul each time an unkind rumor, word, or remark is spread? So often I will see posts in the comment section of news articles where the comment is completely off topic and it is just ripping into the person that posted ahead of them. These posts often lead me to thinking about that individual and what they must be like as a person. Sure, I have some mean things go through my head as I read about certain topics or individuals. I won't deny that. But your level of maturity and love for your fellow man comes into play when you decide whether or not what you thought needs to be read by hundreds or thousands of others. I'm hoping one day that those mean remarks won't even pass through my head, but until I'm perfect enough to control my thoughts, I'll control what I post online.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
So my first opinionated view has to do with Facebook. What a wonderful world Facebook is. I have reconnected with so many friends and have been able to visit many friends around the country/world through this connection. I love seeing pictures, family updates, and inspiring quotes.
But there is always a flipside to something this great. I like a local News Page and they post updates about the local news. Since we don't have TV, this is how I stay up on what is going on all around me. The other day there was a post about a mother being charged with a misdemeanor in the death of her baby. She had left the baby in the car in her driveway on a hot day in June. I do not know this family, but am familiar with some of the inside details as to how this mistake occurred. Many people jumped to conclusions and accused this poor mother of murdering her baby (those were the exact words of an individual on Facebook.) I attempted to stand up for the family on the post and ask that we not judge them harshly and not use the anonymity of Facebook to ridicule others. I was then torn apart for asking such a request and "telling them (the other posters) what to do." When did people become so calloused and unfeeling? My heart breaks for this family and this poor mother. Having two young children, I know how quickly you can become distracted and make mistakes. I'm just lucky that none of my mistakes have had this tragic of an outcome. All but a few of the posts on this Facebook page were mean, spiteful and similar to what a bully would say. Is this not a form of bullying? If you can sit in the comfort of your own home and spew hateful things from your laptop or smart phone towards another human being, that your don't even know, are you not a bully? This family is hurting more than most of us could ever begin to comprehend, why would you want to drive the hurt deeper? If you feel the need to speak out, say something productive. Talk about prevention of infant deaths in cars. Don't use the power of social media to harm another individual. Sure, it's only mental harm, but does that not destroy a little part of someone's soul each time an unkind rumor, word, or remark is spread? So often I will see posts in the comment section of news articles where the comment is completely off topic and it is just ripping into the person that posted ahead of them. These posts often lead me to thinking about that individual and what they must be like as a person. Sure, I have some mean things go through my head as I read about certain topics or individuals. I won't deny that. But your level of maturity and love for your fellow man comes into play when you decide whether or not what you thought needs to be read by hundreds or thousands of others. I'm hoping one day that those mean remarks won't even pass through my head, but until I'm perfect enough to control my thoughts, I'll control what I post online.
But there is always a flipside to something this great. I like a local News Page and they post updates about the local news. Since we don't have TV, this is how I stay up on what is going on all around me. The other day there was a post about a mother being charged with a misdemeanor in the death of her baby. She had left the baby in the car in her driveway on a hot day in June. I do not know this family, but am familiar with some of the inside details as to how this mistake occurred. Many people jumped to conclusions and accused this poor mother of murdering her baby (those were the exact words of an individual on Facebook.) I attempted to stand up for the family on the post and ask that we not judge them harshly and not use the anonymity of Facebook to ridicule others. I was then torn apart for asking such a request and "telling them (the other posters) what to do." When did people become so calloused and unfeeling? My heart breaks for this family and this poor mother. Having two young children, I know how quickly you can become distracted and make mistakes. I'm just lucky that none of my mistakes have had this tragic of an outcome. All but a few of the posts on this Facebook page were mean, spiteful and similar to what a bully would say. Is this not a form of bullying? If you can sit in the comfort of your own home and spew hateful things from your laptop or smart phone towards another human being, that your don't even know, are you not a bully? This family is hurting more than most of us could ever begin to comprehend, why would you want to drive the hurt deeper? If you feel the need to speak out, say something productive. Talk about prevention of infant deaths in cars. Don't use the power of social media to harm another individual. Sure, it's only mental harm, but does that not destroy a little part of someone's soul each time an unkind rumor, word, or remark is spread? So often I will see posts in the comment section of news articles where the comment is completely off topic and it is just ripping into the person that posted ahead of them. These posts often lead me to thinking about that individual and what they must be like as a person. Sure, I have some mean things go through my head as I read about certain topics or individuals. I won't deny that. But your level of maturity and love for your fellow man comes into play when you decide whether or not what you thought needs to be read by hundreds or thousands of others. I'm hoping one day that those mean remarks won't even pass through my head, but until I'm perfect enough to control my thoughts, I'll control what I post online.
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I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has thoughts like this. It's ridiculous how hurtful and judgemental we can be in a number of situations and then how spiteful internet communication becomes when someone tries to share a voice of reason. I whole heartedly agree with you on every count.
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