This post has been gurgling around in my mind for nearly 10 years.
Currently, I'm spending a LOT of time looking at the ceiling whining to my sister, and sometimes ranting, so today is the day.
Firstly, let me tell you that I am in the beginning phase of recovering from a knee replacement. The honeymoon period is over. Psych. There was no honeymoon period. I'm fortunate to have my sister staying with me and taking excellent care of me. She's great company, but I'm having grouchy spells.
For many years, The Essential Herbal has had the great fortune of having a very successful business page on Facebook.
That used to translate into sales, but that isn't the case any longer. It IS still a good option for passing along information, like a new book, new issue, or whatever.
Before the surgery, I started putting away photos I could post with bits of information or short recipes/remedies - sort of the thing the magazine is known for. I still have a week or two of them left!
But there's something so negative that happens, that some days I feel almost physically assaulted.
Without fail, no matter what I post, someone will let me know there's something wrong with it. It's worth noting that while Maryanne (sister) does a lot of things to help with the magazine, the Fb page is all mine. One person being sure to post something interesting every day. People seem to think that they're addressing a larger company with "staff" and "no feelings."
Let me show you a couple examples. I only went back a few days, and it started to get to me. You'll see what I mean...
Wrong...
Apparently there is something very offensive about letting the cat out of the bag. That comment no longer exists.
Here is the thing. Why? Why do people write these things? Are they home bored, looking for something that will make them feel better? Do they feel that they are actually helping keep the world free of bad information?
The other week I said something that taught me (seriously) that I was being culturally insensitive about something, and in that case, I could understand the value of the post - if not the delivery.
This is not to say that I am flawless in my posts. I can remember the people who went out of their way to privately message me to suggest that information was incorrect (thank you Karen Bergeron). It's the public "calling out" that seems unnecessary, especially since most of the time they are the ones who wind up looking ill-informed.
So please... before you decide to smack down a post on the internet, please consider why you are doing it. Could it be handled privately? Could you just scroll on by? What is your motivation?
That last one - motivation - I would dearly love to know.
Now my sister is pointing out that I probably wouldn't write about this if I wasn't in a lot of pain, and subsequent medication. She may be right. I'm doing it anyway.
4 comments:
These are the same people that give products a bad review because the mailman put the box on their porch upside down. I highly recommend watching ‘Pretend It’s a City’ in which Fran Lebowitz skewers this type of behavior in the most funny way! That sure made me feel less alone dog paddling through craziness.
I'll have to check that out. I love Fran!
Usually it rolls off my back, but lately it has gotten worse.
Maybe humans are like chickens. According to Dr Jacquie Jacobs at the University of Kentucky, “ Recent research suggests that laying hens are able to recognize around 30 individuals. The social structure developed in small groups begins to break down in flocks of 30 to 60 birds.” The parallel is that perhaps too many people participating in the social media free-for-all that has no precedent or traditional behavioral guidelines results in the flock pecking at something unsettling it doesn’t recognize. A verbal swipe is a peck out of general angst and could be without rational motivation and especially not the look-you-in-the-eye manners we’ve been accustomed to up until recent years. In a way, most of us have been unsuccessfully struggling to restore our social places as cutely named bits. How to temper the maddening situation is still a mystery.
Yes! There's also the "Dunbar Number" of 150 human social connections before things start to break down. That's a very interesting point you bring up.
It must be why people hire social media companies so that their own feelings don't get involved.
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