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Unless all you’ve been doing for the last year and a half is binging Netflix, you may have noticed that we’ve inaugurated a new POTUS, and that’s come with a fair amount of strife throughout the country (and abroad). The United States as a whole are mostly running a little hot right now, and by “a little hot” I mean quite a few people are fucking boiling 24/7. We’re five days into the new administration and we’ve already had the largest protest in American history.
Where you’ve probably noticed this the most is when you browse your social media feed. What was once nothing but terrible sports takes and food videos has gradually become the digital political battleground of the 21st century. The comment/thread debates, the videos, the all-caps and occasionally misspelled tweets by public officials; they’re covering social media like glitter at a strip club. Even if you try your best, you can’t get it off.
I’ve no doubt that there are a least a couple friends on Facebook or follows on Twitter that you’re wrestling with the decision of hitting the mute button on. I also have no doubt that if you’re following me, that you’re cognizant that I’m one of those people.
Trust me, there’s enough self-awareness on my part to acknowledge that my social media activity has been exhausting of late. I’m very conscious to the fact that my timeline is a constant stream of politically charged tweets and re-tweets. I used to pride myself on using my social media accounts to do nothing more than tell fucking terrible really funny dad jokes and lament the horrendous pitching staff of my beloved Minnesota Twins. To tell you the truth, I’d love to be that guy again.
To be that guy again, however, it’d mean that I’d have lost the passion that seems to drive me to use my platform to discuss and share political content on a daily basis. That’s not something that’s on my agenda anytime soon. Despite the complaints by friends and followers, each day I only see more reason to discuss the latest news and policies that come to the forefront of the social media universe. In an era where “Fake News” has become a national plague, I feel as though it’s something of a moral duty to not only speak my mind, but to make sure I have factual sources to back up my opinions and share as needed. Nothing would make me personally more at peace than to not give a fuck what’s happening in the world, but I’m just not wired that way.
There’s no personal pompous belief that I have influence over anyone or can sway another individual’s views simply with a tweet or Facebook post. But, as PGP’s own Dave always says, it’s about starting a dialogue. Twitter and Facebook are the town hall meeting of this generation and the most convenient place where views and ideas can be shared with others around the country. Sometimes there’s nothing more frustrating than bearing witness to or participating in an argument via some form of social media; I can almost hear my friends’ voices in my head saying “Jesus Christ, you’re at it again?” every time I chime in to say my piece on someone’s shared video or quote a rapidly circulating tweet.
What does it hurt to pop in with maybe a dissenting opinion or link to an article to consider when discussing a recent political hot topic? Why shouldn’t I retweet something that I see as a valuable piece of information regarding legislation or policy? Sure, maybe you’re never going to change someone’s opinion when debating them with a keyboard. Couldn’t it be feasible, however, that an internet bystander could see it and take interest?
Perhaps someone witnesses discussion on an issue or from a different viewpoint that they hadn’t pondered or seen before and chooses to educate themselves further. Hell, maybe it starts a chain of events that leads someone to take action by calling their rep in Congress or getting involved in local politics. A random Facebook debate or Twitter thread to many could just be angry people thrashing into a keyboard. To those who prefer their social feeds politics free, it’s admittedly likely an annoyance and an understandable subsequent unfollow. But if there’s any chance that it leads to any sort of positive call to action offline, I think that gives being politically active on social media inherent value.
What if one tweet or one post leads to one more person informing themselves more about any sort of issue that’s up for debate in the political spectrum. I don’t view it as the worst thing in the world to perhaps give someone the chance to become more informed, or in turn receive or be presented new factual information that I myself need to look into harder. For me, that happens every day. Most of my favorite pieces of writing or podcasts that I’ve discovered in the last year have been because someone shared it on social media.
But it’s these acts that while some view as tiresome or obnoxious, I see them as a valuable and positive use of the time I spend on social media. “Living in a bubble” has been shouted like a war-cry from both political ends of the spectrum when, in the reality of the 21st century, we should be as far away from living in bubbles as possible. Anyone politically active on social media has the ability to see debates and insight from people and sources from vastly different viewpoints. I mean, if you were on Twitter exclusively for sports, would it make sense to only follow Skip Bayless?
The most worrisome habit I see formed by others across social media is only reading, sharing, and interacting with people on the same side of the aisle. Personally, I think it’s crippling to the future of the country as it leads to a less and less informed public population. Bi-partisanship has rapidly disappeared over the past fifteen or so years, and I think the advent of social media and a personal tailoring of information is directly correlated. I feel like I owe it to myself to follow prominent figures and outlets from every corner of the opinion universe because I’d be a social media hypocrite if I created my own bubble.
With society’s ever-deepening reliance on social media, the threshold for decorum has shifted. When social media has increasingly more power to steer the rudder of history in ways that affect our lives, any shame or harassment you endure for sharing your opinion becomes a smaller and smaller price to pay.
Online discourse is not pointless. You cannot force empathy on others, but challenging someone’s constantly reaffirmed opinion is an important first step toward progress or at least mutual understanding that other’s opinions matter. We only become a fact-free society if a passion for seeking the truth dies in favor of convenient observance. The unfollow button is there if you want it because I’m going to keep plugging away. .
Respond
Kyle Bandujo
The artist formerly known as Crash Davis. My kid doesn't think I'm funny.
@kylebandujo
@bandujokyle
kyle.bandit
I am one of the people hiding everyone who posts about politics. Not because I don’t want to know what’s going on, I have Twitter for that, but because people posting on Facebook almost is always about expression rather than persuasion. There’s almost no nuanced thought, just tribal talking points that have, at best, a loose relationship with fact. The sources are usually partisan groups – US Uncut, Breitbart, etc – trying to belittle the other side instead of understanding them. I mean, just look at when people discuss abortion. Realistically the debate should be “at what point does this collection of cells become a human being with the rights and protections that entails” but no one ever discusses that; instead, you hear “you just want to control my vagina” or “you just want to murder babies.” Neither of these reflects the motivation of the other side and neither of these will convince a single person who doesn’t already agree with you. But that’s the level of discussion you get.
What a well thought out and articulated point…I hate you, you vagina-controlling baby murderer.
Completely agree with you. I find myself as a degree holder in economics somewhat prepared to discuss economic issues, but not nearly enough for me to post on social media. In my opinion, these issues are so complex that the common man should not be commenting on it unless extremely well versed. It is ok to have an opinion, but when you think the buck stops at your opinion, especially when you have little to no information to substantiate said opinion, you should just shut the fuck up. It’s always funny when someone has an opinion and then another person with a PhD in the subject matter comes along and just destroys them. If you can’t hang with the big dogs, then it’s best to just not even bark.
Not to mention you’re never going to change anyone’s opinion ever so there’s basically all risk and no reward to posting on social media. Plus it just makes people loathe you and that’s the first thing someone will think of when you encounter them in person.
Been saying the same thing for years. It’s a existential debate that can’t be answered (chicken v. egg). Technically, a cell begins dying as soon as it forms. So from the most technical definition any form of birth control can be argued is an abortion. Conversely, the first few weeks of pregnancy there is no difference between human and starfish embryos. This continues down the line with more complex organisms until a few weeks out when a human fetus differentiates from a chimpanzee fetus. So any point to pick out as a when a baby becomes a real live human with rights would be completely arbitrary.
Even if you conceded that a cluster of cells is actually a human life, it doesn’t change the fact that someone else’s ‘right to life’ cannot trump your right to body autonomy. That’s the reason you can choose not to be an organ donor and have your organs buried, even though people die every day waiting for a transplant. Same goes for donating your body to science: you can burn or bury it, or use it to potentially advance modern medicine. It’s your choice even in death. It’s ridiculous to think that total body autonomy is given to a corpse without a second thought, but so many people want to take it away from living women.
I agree with that. I find it funny when people are against abortion because life is precious but they also support the death penalty.
I feel like at this point you either think that Trump is the second coming of Christ or the first coming of the anti-Christ. Nothing in between exists.
I think that the Anti-Christ probably would be a little more articulate.
My only complaint about this, Crash, is that your bio on here clearly says “Dad humor all day every day.” That’s just false advertising.
He makes a fair point here, Crash.
I feel like there’s a lot of shitty dad jokes in politics so I think we can make this work.
That’s all I ask.
I’ll stick to trolling both sides and making grown adults angry over stupid things.
Just delete your social media and live life as it were intended. You’ll be happier I promise.
I find that with most people, it’s not valuable to start a dialogue.
I agree. Sometimes though, when you’re in a homogeneous group (in my case middle class white guys) and somebody says something just deplorable about a group of people, you have a duty to speak up and not just let it go because they’re nice to you personally. You’d think I wouldn’t have to explain to my 60 year old parents why saying “sand-nig***” to refer to Arab-Americans is really fucked up, but I did. I’m sure my parents care more about me coming to visit regularly than they do about saying whack shit like that, so I’m glad I called them on it, and hopefully just a little bit of my message rubbed off on them.
Personally I avoid talking about politics on social media. It’s not that I don’t feel that politics are important, I just think that so many people are horribly uninformed and/or don’t know how to form their own opinions. I also don’t like to get into unnecessary arguments. I think there is a time and place to discuss these things and 11pm on Facebook is neither.
I’d like to add that I don’t understand why actors/actresses, athletes, and sports reporters aren’t allowed to tweet or talk about politics. I understand that most people use movies/tv and sports to get away from the world but telling these people they’re only allowed to talk about their profession is like telling a plumber his opinion on anything besides plumbing doesn’t matter.
There is no shortage of actors/actresses giving their opinions on politics.
I’m not saying there is but I’m criticizing the people who complain them speaking about politics.
It’s because the general public might be offended by words and then wouldn’t support that person and their craft. Like someone said, too much risk of offending someone. Which I think is a shitty reflection of our society to be honest. Pretty sad.
I hide the people who post about politics because I work in politics and most of you are very wrong, don’t understand the inner workings, and I don’t know where the hell you get your information.
Stopped reading halfway through, was hoping it would take a turn and end up being satire (is that how it ended?).
Anyway, *unfriend*.
I keep clicking “stop showing me posts like this”, but they keep showing up. I think facebook’s goal is to make everyone so sick of politics that they become completely apathetic. At this point, I’m down for Trump to not only regulate media but also the internet.