Hi guys… Thanks for popping in on this fine Wednesday. I thought I’d take a few minutes to write about something that has been bothering me for quite a while.
First of all, I just want to say, DO NOT READ INTO THIS POST as anything more than an attempt by me to talk about something that is bothering me about many, many interactions over the past couple of years online. This post is not directed at anyone specific, okay? (I don’t even know why I feel the need to say this, but maybe it’ll all become clear once you read what I’ve got to say.)
I started blogging 14 years ago, and let me tell you, it was a steep, steep learning curve to figure out what was acceptable to say and share on this site, and what simply wasn’t cool. Because my “blog” was more like an online journal back then, and I wrote fairly anonymously, I shared more. Hell, blogging wasn’t even a verb back then.
During the early years, things I said on previous incarnations of this site – and I admit now that I shared too much – pushed people’s buttons. I was going through a divorce, and was reaching out for help, support and guidance from friends, and my filter was not defined at all. Let’s face it, online etiquette wasn’t really clear back then.
I quickly learned that sharing info about my friends here (without their approval, despite me attempting to hide who I was talking about) or speaking out about something that should be brought up in a phone call rather than via a blog entry was an absolute no-no. Feelings were hurt, anger flared. You get the picture.
But, this was in the early years.
Since that time, etiquette online has been estabilished. Common sense (even if it’s still not so common) usually is encorporated in the social media platforms, and I’ve seen great improvements for the most part, in this area.
Except… When it comes to Twitter and Facebook. Why the hell is it that people treat others so poorly on these sites? Things, some would never say to the face of another, are proclaimed with such intensity on these sites, that it makes my head spin sometimes.
Clearly, there needs to be some sort of guideline people can use, so that feelings don’t get hurt, and friend’s relationships aren’t ruined because the written word was taken incorrectly? I don’t get how this can be so difficult? Take a breath, pause, and don’t fly off the deep end when you take offense to something someone has said.
I’ll leave you with the filter that I incorporated years ago… If you wouldn’t say something to your Dad that you want to share with the world, (he used to read this site when he was alive), or are too chicken to verbally say something that is bothering you to the person your anger, frustration or hurt is directed at, how about, DON’T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL.
Pick up the phone, people. You’ll eliminate many misconstrued issues that way.
YOUR TURN: What are your thoughts on this?