Social Media and Social Responsibility

Writers everywhere are trying to create a social media platform. They join every single big site. They pimp novels. (This totally does not work people) They push their friend’s books. (Also made of fail unless it is a release day). And generally, they make a nuisance of themselves. Scroll through your Facebook or Twitter and see how far you need to go to see a real person talk. They get the whole social media but they forget social responsibility.

I was looking at Facebook the other day and a lovely woman posted a picture of her friend dressed up for an event. Her friend was beautiful. She had obviously taken a lot of time with hair and nails and an outfit. Do you know what people were saying? NOT ONE THING.

 How mean was that?

Isn't it tough enough to have a positive body image in today’s society without totally ignoring a lovely person? I can guarantee you that this woman could not possibly feel as lovely as she looked. I know this because when I was younger, I was a very pretty woman but I didn't think so. Thank God that there wasn't social media then to confirm what I suspected was true. I would have never left the house. I wouldn't have met my husband or ever had my six children.

You are never going to give offense with an honest compliment. I told the woman that she looked beautiful. She did. Someone else being lovely, or wearing a pretty dress, or even showing off a new manicure does not take one darn thing away from you. Take a second of your precious time and say so. Your comment might be the one positive thing in their day. You won’t ever know if what you said mattered because you can’t know the horrors they may face in their everyday life. But maybe, just maybe, your words will turn their day around.

Everyone is all against bullying. We teach our children to be nice and not to judge or harass people. But I am here to tell you that this isn't enough. Teach them kindness and caring and start by being supportive of others and their interests not only in your real life, but online.

I think we all want to leave the world a better place. Hopefully how we act will make a mark on people and places that we love. If you’re using social media, then you have the responsibility of making the virtual world a better place, too.

We can’t all buy someone in need a car, or pay off their hospital bills, but we can all take the time once a day to give someone a compliment. It’s a little thing. But sometimes the little things are what matter the most and what make the biggest difference.

The Reason I Unfollow You on Social Media

It's not you, it's me.

Seriously, I don't consider myself either a liberal or a conservative. I do, however have certain likes and dislikes. I also have a houseful of teenagers to whom I feel a responsibility as role model. These are the major reasons I make social media friends go away.

1.    I’m a mom. I enjoy parenthood and adore my six children. I have no problem with people who have decided that they don’t want children. They’re free to do as they wish.  I do have a problem with people who insult families and belittle what I consider to be my greatest accomplishment. I don’t call people stupid or say that they are trash because of their decision to not have children or traditional families. I absolutely will not have the aggravation of seeing these posts.

You guys have the right to live your lives and speak your beliefs. I have the right to not see them and feel insulted.

2.    Everyone knows that Erotica is popular now. If people want to write it, I hope they do it well and make a gerjillion dollars. Really I do.  Good on them! I especially think it is the awesomesauce that Sylvia Day has gotten so popular because she is a sweetie-pie and she deserves lovely things.

That said, for some odd reason that I do not comprehend, some erotica fans/writers seem to think it is cool to post and tweet extremely graphic scenes and quotes—before I have my morning coffee. I am subjected to naked pictures and descriptive terms that I personally never use. It grosses me out. I mean seriously, EWWWWWWWWWWW! If I wanted naked I would have stayed in the bed. I didn’t get six children by not knowing what a penis is, mkay?

3.    Everyone has a bad day, or week, or sometimes a whole terrible month. Some people have a terrible and angry life. I’m sorry that this is how they see the world. I personally cannot see their negativity day after day and be a positive person. So I choose to surround myself online with people who can see the sunrise. Since many of my real life friends I have met online, I like to keep the optimists close. They and I might hit it off someday.

4.    Profanity is a choice. I cuss as much as the next guy—in real life and when I’m not around children and old people. I choose not to in writing and on the internet where kids might see it. I have children.  I don’t want them to use profanity as the major part of their vocabulary. I don’t want teachers to email me that inappropriate terms are used in papers or at school. I don’t want to teach other people’s children to curse. Of course I expect everyone to slip once in a while. Just not in every freaking post.

5.    When my children were small, whining was a problem. I used to pretend that I was deaf and unable to hear a whining tone of voice. Unfortunately, the internet is an easy place to whine and poor-mouth and it gets on my last nerve. Everyone has a bad day but some people make it a lifestyle and I choose not to attend pity-parties.

6.   I understand that people are proud of what they write. I also understand that you have friends and that you need to support their books. But, if you post nothing but ads and links and even worse, with eighty-eleven hashtags on each post, I’m out of there.

Life is what you make it people and I apologize if my de-friending or un-following hurts your feelings . You have the right to post as you wish and I have the right not to see it.