Two posts in one day!? I must really like you guys… Or… I was really lazy last week and didn’t get that last post out until two days after I planned. Hmm, nah! It’s both, I swear. Unfortunately, this one won’t be as inspiring or uplifting as My Mom, The Bad, And The Ugly. Are you ready for a rant?
I REALLY hate social media. Not enough to get rid of my accounts, not yet anyway. But yea, I hate social media. Like, it’s a problem. Even more so because I have found that in today’s society you are ostracized for not having (and enjoying) an account on every outlet available. Contrary to what you may believe from reading my blog, I am actually a pretty reserved guy. I’m not a huge bragger and deep down I am still a little weary about personal moments of mine being publicly accessible. For some reason it feels different on here, not sure why, but I’m ok with it. However, that’s not my biggest gripe with the online powerhouses.
I am genuinely appalled at some of the things that I see my friends and acquaintances post. For one, it is very unsettling when you see someone that you are close to express an opinion that completely contradicts how you view that person. I am also not a fan of seeing posts from extremists who basically spam their page and your feed with their world changing and eye opening attempts to assimilate (yes, like the Borg… You’re Welcome) you into their group. Even if I like what you post, I still get annoyed at times seeing a person post every single thing that they see or that comes to mind, I don’t want to see you pop up in my feed that often. I’m not here for just you. As contradictory as it sounds, I hate the disconnect. I keep my accounts because it is an easy way to keep track of friends and acquaintances. But, if your number is saved in my phone, I am going to call or text you on your birthday. Also contradictory, I hate seeing professionals being unprofessional on social media. My accounts definitely have things on them that my coworkers and supervisors would not approve of. But guess what, those folks (well, most of them) are blocked from seeing that stuff.
Yes, I realize that I am part of the problem. As much as I try not to, I too have posted and most likely will again post something that someone could view as unflattering. I am human. I try to limit this as much as possible (except on here, you guys are pretty much getting the full Monty, sorry… Not sorry), honestly, I rarely ever post on any of my social media accounts and when I do it’s usually just sharing a blog post or re-posting something from my memories. However, I am guessing that by now you are just a little curious. So here are my accounts. I may not post much but I do a good bit of browsing and I love interacting with and meeting new peoples (that was definitely not auto-correct, I actually typed “peoples” there….. I need to go to bed) so feel free to drop me a line, or meme, or GIF, or your social security number, full name, date of birth, and address. I’m not picky, and I’ll respond in kind.
Kik
8AL5
SnapChat
run_today
No clue… But somewhere on there is an account that I made way back when. If you find it tell whoever hacked into my account that I said “Hi”. Oh, and throw in an empty threat for good measure.
MySpace
Yup, I still have an account. No, I don’t know the screen name or how to access it. But if you find it, you’ll see some pretty cool pictures and a couple of mediocre poems.
LiveJournal
Another one that I have no idea what my username is or how to access my page there. Honestly, don’t go here. It’s full of high hormoned puberty fueled rants about my seemingly unpleasant and misunderstood teenage life… Kids, I tell ya.
Tumblr
Oh, also I have accounts on various dating websites that I check probably less often than I do my social media accounts (I really suck at being single). So ladies, if you are looking for a skull with no hair, or eyes, less than half of his teeth, and wicked tribal tattoo, I am your guy!
Until next time, try and go without social media for a full twenty four hours, you might actually enjoy it.
P.S. So I was searching for a picture that screamed social media… I couldn’t find one. Then I searched for a picture that I thought would in no possible way have any significance on any post that I would make in the future, and here you have it. My son’s mother and I bought this when we were in Vegas. She hated it, it scared her, which I think made me like it even more. Coincidentally, this was also my first profile picture on Facebook. Somehow I just gave myself the old Kansas City Shuffle.
Alphonso Francis White 
Lol I love your essays. And I’m glad that you appreciate my rants haha
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My current rage about facebook (and social media posts) is when people use it to hold others emotionally hostage. Posts intended to get attention and sympathy by worrying and upsetting people who care about them (and then never acknowledging those people).
also, there’s people who i had previously respected and then learned of an opinion (that wouldn’t probably have come up in person) that kinda turns me off and it’s disappointing, to say the least.
People get brave about certain things that they might not say in outside life and their inner asshole comes out. apparently text and a computer screen makes one immune to the regular social norms, like respect, tact, and compassion.
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Social media tact is an option that seems to get chosen less and less. Just because you have conviction doesn’t mean that you HAVE TO share. Knowing what to say is no where near as important as knowing when to say it.
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absolutely. and how to say it.
Part of the problem is people get their egos so tied up into their opinions that they take disagreement as a personal attack. It’s also comforting to be “right” so people feel threatened by the idea that something they believe (especially something significant) might be wrong.
Politics and religion are obviously the most contentious, and obvious example. a really basic example, when you tell someone some information you learned and they say that they think it is wrong. That little twinge of defensiveness and impulse to argue rather than double check.
or when a joke offends someone, and you say “its just a joke!” rather than apologize for upsetting them.
detaching ourselves from our opinions and actions is a skill that isnt really promoted in our culture, and one most people have to make an effort to learn and practice.
So when they start out by aggressively asserting their opinions it’s because they just want an argument to reinforce their feeling of rightness, so they can quell the insecurity of being wrong.
So that’s my essay on those thoughts, lol…. and thats the abridged version…
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