Don’t get me wrong, I love the internet. If I had to use paper maps, I would never leave my neighborhood. I also like being able to prove I’m right in a matter of seconds.
But boy, the internet has really taken the fun out of everything. All of a sudden, everyone has to have something to say about everything. Always. And most of the time their comments are mean.
What happened to the fun internet?
There was a moment in time when Twitter was fun. It was a great way to stay updated on breaking news and share fun cultural moments with thousands of strangers. The Academy Awards and the Super Bowl were two of my favorite events to follow live on social media.
But something changed. The internet is now overrun with bad intentions and vitriol.
People making fair statements in good faith get savagely attacked. You can’t state an innocuous fact without being berated by people with opinions. For example, just because you like meat doesn’t mean being a vegan is wrong. Stop it.
One local influencer took her kids to a new water park, and the internet crucified her. People in local Facebook groups ask for help, and someone always has something cruel to say. Why? Even as I write this, I’m imagining what sort of comments this blog might spawn, telling me why I’m wrong and stupid.
Sometimes, statements do need to be challenged. Correcting a misconception. Informing someone of a fact. Unfortunately, most people don’t know how to do this. They attack and belittle under the guise of “just letting people know.”
Everyone’s got an opinion, and most of them are terrible. It’s hard to tell whether it’s a troll or just a legitimately bad take.
Just because you saw a picture or a video clip does not mean you know what happened. You don’t have the full context. You can’t know someone’s motivation. The only people entitled to opinions are the people involved in the situation.
I can’t even get into the misinformation and straight-up lies people share, whether it’s with malicious intent, a lack of common sense, or even the failure to verify information. I never realized how many vaccine experts are out there (eye roll). It’s gotten to the point where I honestly don’t trust a single thing that’s posted anywhere.
Everyone on the internet seems so miserable.
Sports are ruined. Vacations are ruined. Restaurants are ruined. Heaven forbid I enjoy a cafe because the owner parked illegally one time (hypothetical in this example, but reminiscent of real posts). The list of fun things internet trolls eviscerate is never-ending. Some things are not that deep.
I wish people would just accept that they don’t know everything and some things are simply not their business.
Like Thumper from Bambi said, if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. It costs nothing to keep scrolling.
We all need kindness right now, even online.
Here’s my call to action: Think before you post.
Consider these questions before you take on a keyboard-warrior stance.
- Does my opinion matter here?
- Do I have enough legitimate expertise or experience to weigh in?
- What do I hope will happen because of my post?
Yes, I could get off the internet. But also, I shouldn’t have to. People should know how to act, and bots should go back where they came from.
