Anyone posting to Facebook with their own thoughts that has more than 20 friends has likely come up against this: you share a thought, perhaps something you find to be an epiphany pertinent to your own personal growth and BAM! someone thinks you are personally attacking them and spends time "putting you in your place".
If you are like me, your first reaction is simply: confusion. What? Did I do something? Say something? I mean, other than what I posted that is ... You reread your post and it means the same thing to you that it did when you posted it. You try to take yourself out of the equation and find something nefarious about it. As a last resort, you have others read it (for me, it's my hubby :) ).
Okay, so somewhere in between the lines you MIGHT be able to assign the intent of harm in a gossipy manner - because of timing and content being similar to a conversation you were around or could have overheard. But who wants to step on eggshells, on their OWN page, when all they are trying to do is communicate a thought? An imperfect thought, sure, but seriously? Should every post be preceded by the disclaimer, "All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental."? So much for my right to free speech.
And worse, trying to figure the whole thing out and now a friendship hangs in the balance. Over a Facebook post about something REALLY inconsequential. Like, "I like green eggs and ham." You are hammered with your lack of culinary expertise on said cuisine, or maybe it's just not enough in their eyes - whatever, you were obviously unqualified to make said statement. On your own page. Never mind it's a personal opinion. It has to be fact or you can't post it. And make sure you cite three scientifically vetted studies to back you up. Better yet, just quote them and keep your personal wording to yourself.
And that is why Facebook is over-run with Memes, quotes and videos now. No one has the balls to have their own thoughts about things anymore. Why should they when adults checked their potential adulthood at the door in high school and never outgrew the petty spatting. I swear, meet me with a good argument that is both well-thought out and presented without emotion, and I may still disagree with you ... but at least you'll have my respect.
And that's all any of us want really. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. :)
P.S. Why can't I turn off this stupid highlighting?!!?!?!?
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