A couple of days ago there was a massive fire that destroyed some of the new portables that were under construction at the local high school less than a mile from my home. Of course, any kind of fire is devastating, but police now suspect arson. That makes it worse. Who the hell would do something like that?
Social media “experts” have gone crazy with comments. I know, I shouldn’t read them, and I vow to stop, but it is difficult to ignore the cacophony of faceless voices. Every video and every photo taken of the blaze is ripe with opinions, hatred, racist remarks, and just downright depressing observations. Commentators blamed the homeless. They blamed students from the neighbouring high school. They blamed Protestants (it was a Catholic high school). And they blamed immigrants. I didn’t see anyone blame students from the school that was in the middle of all the controversy.
And it’s not just this event that has garnered so many destructive comments. It is just about anything that shows up on a news feed. It is excessive.
We, and I use that term loosely, are so brave when it comes to leaving comments on social media. It doesn’t take much to type in a few words—and most of the comments I read are lacking not only in educated opinions but also in spelling and grammar. When all you have to deal with is a small AI icon in the corner of your screen, it is very simple to spew hatred and ignorance. You don’t have to worry about defending your opinion on the spot; there is no human to receive and retaliate. Yep, it is definitely easier to have a one-sided conversation with a computer or phone screen than it is to have a two-sided one with a real, live person.
I find it quite interesting to see how people lead the comments in another direction entirely. I mean, what does the federal government have to do with a fire that happens in a small prairie city? Come on, people! And then there are the personal attacks when someone doesn’t agree with a comment. Sure, I don’t agree with the ever-increasing, right-wing remarks, but I do believe that everyone has the right to voice their opinion. No matter how much I disagree. I can either question them or ignore them. But I should not be attacking their person. Or their mother! Or anyone else for that matter.
Social media can have a lot of positive impact on the lives of seniors. It keeps us connected, it keeps us informed, and it can be a lot of fun! You gotta love those cute doggie videos, right? But it can also lead to depression. And like life, people rarely comment about good things. It’s the same with any communication. People are more inclined to talk about their negative experiences. How many times have you heard, “Wow, I had a great root canal the other day!” Or “Oooh, that mammogram was so much fun!” No one cares! But start talking about long wait times, poor service, and gory health details, and you will have an all-ears audience in no time flat.
Yes, I’m jaded. I’m also part of the problem. No, I don’t make comments, but I do read them. And I do tend to scroll into the wee hours of the night. For years I avoided the lure of TikTok. Now it is my go-to place when I have some spare time. Or even when I don’t. It’s not doomscrolling because the algorithm knows I prefer low-sugar recipes, dog videos, and now, mahjong tips. But it is still scrolling, and it’s wasting my energy.
Of course you can’t bury your head in the sand, no matter how delightful that would be. Current events are important at the local, national, and global levels. Thanks to the internet we have so many options and resources. It is hard to know who to believe, and now, what is AI. There are times when I find myself feeling sad about the state of our society. I am pessimistic about the future, and I am worried about the present. Maybe we all need to stop and be more mindful of our environment. I’m not talking about our immediate environment, but our more personal situation. Our family. Our friends. Our like-minded communities. Forget about all the unhappy souls out there who have nothing better to do than stir the pot on social media.
Well, time to go. I have an account to delete!
Wanderings Art 