Responsibility in A Social Media Age

  I struggled for a long time, to be 100% truthful, I still struggle with it from time to time. What is "it" you ask? It refers to my responsibility when using social media. Do you have a grip on your social media responsibility?

Before the days of tiny cell phones in the hands of every American, I can remember the first trip with our new cell phone in my mother's 95 Geo Tracker. It was purple in color and had the most amazing thing- a fold back roof! The grey interior was designed with an arrangement of colorful swirls and it so decorated the interior-in a 1995 kind of way. Our first cell phone was a box with leather covering and the handset into which you spoke was a full size handset just like what you would find inside the house. There was a leather cover that would flip open or closed and was secured with a long velcro strap. The outside of the box had an antenna that screwed in to give you reception. We were high flyers...a phone IN OUR CAR!

Then (or maybe before, I can't remember) there was the day we heard the phone dialing inside our computer...internet. Little did we know how much our world would change.

Back in those days we had relationships. If you wanted to see someone or talk, you went over for a visit. There was personal connection. Now, we put it all out into the world via social media and hope or sometimes expect that people like, love or comment on what we post. Back then if I didn't like what you said or how you behaved, I simply didn't go around you. But now?

Now, we wish we had the human connection back. We wish we didn't see so much drama or bickering. May I suggest to you a concept to cure your socialmediaitis? Go back to the things you missed, in some ways. 

If you want to talk to someone on the phone, call them. I personally realized when I stopped complaining that no one was calling and I started calling others, that other people felt the same way. What was the difference? They sat complaining instead of taking action. 

If you don't want to see the drama or the bickering, stop looking for it. You can block or unfriend folks who unnerve you without gossiping or causing problems.  Simply stop being around those people. And who cares if they figure out you unfriended them....really.....who cares. If they ask tell them nicely and truthfully why you unfriended them. Truth is always better than a lie. We may not like it when we hear it but truth told in love tends the garden of the soul. 

So have you figured out where the responsibility lies? On you. No one is going to lookout for your interests....no one....but you. Even a person who loves you more than life cannot advocate for you like you can. You are THE ONLY ONE who knows all of your thoughts and emotions.  I also want to throw out there, listen carefully, it is not the world's job to cater to you. You are a pawn in a life game like chess....you move yourself to be where you want to be. You can not control other people, only yourself.  If you don't like the conversation,  get up and move. If you don't like the post, scroll past and keep your mouth shut. If someone doesn't agree with your hair...who cares....it is your hair. 

And to that I add, it is not your responsibility to please anyone else either...well maybe your immediate family...but even that has limitations. 

My point, be the change you want to see in social media. Don't expect the world to  change for you. Cultivate the emotions, friendships, relationships you want because odds are, others want the same thing.