Wednesday, June 29, 2016

social media is not enough

We live in a world of conflict and violence. A world where, it seems, everything becomes a high priority issue. 

  • If you post something you are criticized
  • If you don't post something you are criticized.

We live in a world of what used to be called "sound bites" but are now more likely to be "social media posts." Complex issues [and you know how much I dislike the term "issue" because "issues" always involve people and relationships who are much more than the "issue"] get reduced to 140 characters in a tweet, or maybe an Instagram post, or more often, some limited, often inaccurate Facebook post.

And, more than often, that means that people simply post stuff at one another: which is little more than the social media version of kids lobbing rocks at each other across a fence.

In the complexity of life and all the "issues" we have lost the ability, or at least the will, to think, to reflect, to interact, dialogue, have a conversation with someone who thinks differently. We get offended far too easily. We over-simplify. We label others. And we miss out on the opportunity to mature.

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