With the advent of more people using social media daily, I am beginning to suspect this tool is not serving us in the way the designers intended. I became convinced we might use the internet to expand our horizons and the new people with whom we would connect, would prove to be valuable, educational, and fun.
The ability to meet new people from different cultures, with different outlooks, always provided a wonderful source of inspiration for my writing.
I am aware there are challenges with those who would abuse the system to prey on others, but I am convinced my own high expectations of the best in others, protects me.
I found I am able to connect with people whom I’ve met over the years, and we can follow each others paths, joys, and occasional dips in fortune. I also discovered a terrific way to connect with like-minded business people. All in all, everything appeared encouraging.
Unfortunately a dark cloud is hovering over everything.
Every day, more news stories surface, advising us others are using their social media to disseminate hate mail, prejudice and foul language.
I understand words only possess the meaning we give them. However, many words have become imbued with a negative slant which convey hatred and bigotry.
The bigger challenge is that so many celebrity-type folks are some of the major offenders. How sad so many of those who enjoy this status cannot be symbols of joy, and a positive love of life, and instead descend to foul-mouthed conveyors of racism, sexism, and hostility.
I rarely write about anything negative, but this is my plea for social media devotees to ignore the nasty ones, and concentrate on the positive aspects of life. I expect the best from you.