What is this all about (my comments about social media). Well, in a large part it has to do with the nature of dialogue and the nature of friendship. With respect to friendship, one ought not expect the various forms of social media to supplement the need for real face-to-face friendships. One of the most awful things Ive seen on social media is when people engage in emotional terrorism. You know, those posts where people effectively say, if you really like me then youll comment or repost this message. This is a perfect set-up for disappointment. I dont participate in such nonsense. Also, there are those over-estimate the friendships that theyve established with people online. I have an acquaintance (hopefully moving toward friendship) who is sort of an internet rock star. He is constantly troubled by not being able to respond to everyone who sends him messages. But, for his own sanity he has had to learn to not respond, to not grant that sort of personal access to fans. Social media can create the illusion that fandom = friendship. This should be resisted. Also, I know another man who basically started the movement to not have any comments on his blog. Why? Well, comment sections are the dark abyss of the internet. Its where both the best and worst aspects of humanity are free to run wild. Hes opted out. His example is what led me to not have comments on my own site. However, a medium like facebook is all comments. So, what is one to do if one has a facebook profile? Well, it is essential to practice the very Thomistic principle of assuming the good. We must always receive whatever a person writes as having the best possible intentions. Its easy to assume the worst. I think this is mostly because the written word lacks all of the non-verbal aspects of communication so we supplement that aspect with our own dispositions and prejudices. However, to do so is too easy. To engage in social media well is to never take things personally, assume the person on the other end of the conversation is speaking honestly from their personal experience, and that they are trying their best to articulate truth in the best way they know how. This is an important discipline in the use of social media. Without this discipline then we are all doomed to despair, useless squabbles, and a degradation of the freedom that this medium requires. Ive been asked for years by a large number of people on how to properly use social media. Well, these last few posts are a part of my thought on the matter. I may get around to really writing about it. But, I still have other priorities that need attention. I hope, however, this little bit is a helpful primer to my own thoughts about this very young, very complex, but very human medium of communication.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 06:12:54 +0000
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