As humans, we all have opinions. It's a natural part of being your own self, with your own thoughts, and your own leanings and biases. This, in itself, is not problematic. We are all free to feel a certain way about any given topic. I do not have a problem with this on any level.
What concerns me more and more is the fact that there seems to be a trend of policing other people's opinions and the drive for many to point out how their own opinions differ. It's not a matter of, I respectfully disagree... it's the overkill involved in trying to change someone's thought process, prove how someone is wrong, or when that fails, all out nasty behavior.
Nothing has proven this more than being on social media during and after the elections. We saw the world as we know it become very divided. Do not misunderstand me. Democracy dictates, to some degree, that people are free to choose and have opinions about who is elected. I do not have a problem with this. What I do have a problem with is people allowing their own opinions to get in the way of behaving in a civil manner with others.
Social media is filled with opinion. I like the diversity...even if I don't agree. Having differing opinions gives me an opportunity to view the world through someone's eyes other than my own. Sometimes that leads to a reformation of my own thinking. Sometimes it has no effect on me at all. Other times, it causes an internal emotional response. Regardless, I welcome it. I find it intriguing and challenging.
What's becoming clear to me is that it seems I am among a small contingent of people who share this outlook. I scroll through my feed and rarely comment..yet I see verbal arguments between people on a regular basis. I see posts about 'cleaning out my friends list', and then a reason that is usually related to only keeping like minded individuals on their page. I see people giving other people unsolicited advice on things that they have no personal involvement with. I have, a couple times, done this myself in the past. I now strive to make it something I stay away from.
What is happening in our world that individuality, free thinking, and expression have become targets for attack? Why do people feel it's their duty to change a person's mind about a topic? Furthermore, why is there an obvious sense of entitlement and haughtiness in many people who behave this way?
When did everyone become and authority on everything, and when did being opinionated become a career?
What happened to the subtlety of watching human behavior and quietly deciding how we choose to conduct ourselves?
I personally don't get too riled up when someone disagrees with me. In fact, I am almost always willing to listen to why and either respond or just accept that we are all different. I feel strongly, that in effort to make sure everyone feels safe and similar, we are actually becoming a more divided society.
I don't need to be the same. I love that you are all different than me. On the other hand, I do not enjoy feeling policed and forced to see eye to eye with everyone else. I am quite content to lead my life in a way that I can uphold my own values and morals without shoving them down everyone's throat. I accept that each person comes from a different walk of life and understand that it has greatly shaped their perceptions.
Social media has become very antisocial in many ways. The world in large has become a place where if we don't agree, attempts are made to isolate one another in a way that infers that one is greater, smarter, better.. than another.
I see the irony in having a blog post that is based on my own opinion about this topic. Don't think it escapes me.
Just know that I really have nothing to gain except some catharsis by writing this. You are not required to read this, let alone agree with me.
I am just baffled and disheartened by what I see.
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