When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. – Maya Angelou
An opinion is like an asshole…everybody’s got one. – Unknown
During my childhood the only ways an opinion could be shared publicly by the masses was to write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper (that may or may not get published) or call in to a radio show. Perhaps the world was better as it was, but the genie is out of the bottle on that front, and unfortunately it’s a malevolent spirit.
When The Internet and then social media became part of daily life I was young enough that technology didn’t intimidate me and I happily embraced it. I have been blogging for over 15 years, and in the early days of Facebook was never shy about expressing myself. I had opinions, and y’all were going to hear them dammit!! I didn’t shy away from any debate, and in the spirit of honesty could occasionally be rather vicious. Thankfully I have mellowed just a bit.
I cannot go back and view comments that were made years ago on various posts, but can peruse Facebook memories of what I put out into the universe back in the day. For the most part those reminders amuse me, but occasionally I am embarrassed. Sometimes I see proof of not being the best version of myself.
I will not lie and tell you that I never engage anymore, but can truthfully say it’s rare. Occasionally I make the mistake of browsing comments on a social media post and become so exasperated by what I read that down the rabbit hole I go, always loathing myself later. I no longer write anything inflammatory on my own Facebook though, choosing instead to lean into content that is fun, enlightening, or uplifting. It improves my day and hopefully makes my “friends” smile.
Why do some posts or comments infuriate me?? It’s an interesting point to ponder. One of my father’s plethora of axioms is that one can disagree without being disagreeable, which is not only antithetical to the vitriol I’ve expressed, but I am not convinced that it’s a widely practiced skill in our modern world. My only (weak) defense is that online discourse provides some level of anonymity, which emboldens a person, hence the keyboard warrior moniker. I don’t know these people and have no reason to care what they think. What about people I know & love though?? That is actually the motivation for the current epistle.
Quite frankly, I am worn out and somewhat melancholy. Once upon a time an intelligent exchange of views was enjoyable, perhaps even productive. I try to be fair minded and open to being educated on any topic. I fondly recall a time when neither party was likely to completely change their mind, but walked away with a slightly altered perspective and new information to thoughtfully consider. However, that is nearly impossible when a person approaches the interaction armed with half truths, a lack of basic comprehension, and demonstrably false information they refuse to discard. There is a huge chasm between a difference of opinion and willful ignorance.
At this point (and I probably should have arrived here a long time ago) I simply believe that society is too far gone. My opinion matters even less than it already did. The world is cannibalizing itself. As a whole we’ve chosen the wrong paths, elevated the wrong people (on both sides of the political aisle and in many other realms), and tossed aside so much that was good. That doesn’t mean that greatness no longer exists or that wonderful things can’t be achieved anymore. We aren’t as smart as we think we are though.
There is a sense of peace in surrender. 1 Peter 5:6-10 says to humble yourselves before God and cast your anxieties on Him. Romans 12:2 states that a surrendered life results in the renewing of our minds. Matthew 16:24 tells us real life comes from giving up our old ways for His sake. Even if the Christian viewpoint isn’t your thing, the conclusion remains. President Lincoln opined that it is “better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt”. In The Godfather Don Vito Corleone advises “never tell anyone outside the family what you are thinking.” Author Cormac McCarty wrote “the more noise you make the more likely you are to be eaten…if birds couldn’t fly they wouldn’t sing.” Mark Twain thought that “the right word may be effective, but no word is ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.” Founding Father Benjamin Franklin cautioned “remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” Most things are better left unsaid.
My input isn’t needed. Neither is yours. Not only is it not appreciated, but sadly there are more people than you realize that will hate you for your beliefs. Smile. Be funny. Be charming. Don’t fall into any traps. Don’t provide ammunition to those who would turn on you like a viper at the drop of a hat (which is the vast majority of those in your orbit). Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. Get right with God if that falls within your personal ethos. As Dad would say, it’s not going to get any better.
The Manofesto 