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The past year has been challenging, so many looked toward 2021 with enthusiasm and hope.
Whether it's the pandemic or politics, we are always going to find differences with our friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances (especially online). We may not be able to control how people act but we can be careful with our own responses and behavior to avoid tweet regrets or post remorse.
The survey
The majority of Americans, 64 percent, say that social media has a negative impact on their life. Whether it was misinformation or hate and harassment, the online world has become a breeding ground for people (including adults) to act like bullish children. The sometimes toxic playground is creating stress, anxiety and even depression for many grown-ups.
PEW Research Center interviewed U.S. adults and here are some of their comments:
“People say incendiary, stupid and thoughtless things online with the perception of anonymity that they would never say to someone else in person.” –Man, 53
“Promotes hate and extreme views and in some cases violence.” –Man, 69
“People don’t respect others’ opinions. They take it personally and try to fight with the other group. You can’t share your own thoughts on controversial topics without fearing someone will try to hurt you or your family.” –Woman, 65
“Social media is where people go to say some of the most hateful things they can imagine.” –Man, 46
“Social media is censoring views that are different than theirs. There is no longer freedom of speech.” –Woman, 42
“People believe everything they see and don’t verify its accuracy.” –Man, 75
“Many people can’t distinguish between real and fake news and information and share it without doing proper research …” –Man, 32
“You don’t know what’s fake or real.” –Man, 49
“It creates more divide between people with different viewpoints.” –Man, 37
“Focus is on negativity and encouraging angry behavior rather than doing something to help people and make the world better.” –Woman, 66
“Too much misinformation and lies are promoted from unsubstantiated sources that lead people to disregard vetted and expert information.” –Woman, 64
“They allow for the rampant spread of misinformation.” –Man, 36
Reality is, it doesn't matter what year we're in, this type of behavior has been going on for a long time. Sadly hate, harassment and misinformation didn't just start with the pandemic or in an election year, but it does seem to escalate when people are frustrated, angry or stressed.
It's important to understand that we're all allowed to feel this way, however when you use your keystrokes as your coping mechanism, others can get hurt.
Cleansing your social feeds
There's no denying that—especially while many people are staying at home for longer periods—social media has become a past-time or part of people's employment. It's how we stay in touch with friends and family or make new connections.
However, if social media is making you sick, emotionally speaking with the negativity, it's time to hit the reset button and rethink who and what you digest daily online.
If you find you are facing too much negative content or someone has anger issues that are draining you, it's time to unfollow them. Since the beginning of the year, I've unfollowed hundreds of people. Some family, some friends—and some who I wondered how they were even connected to me! For those, unfriending was very handy.
I was tired of viewing their unnecessary ranting in my feeds. I was exhausted by reading their loud opinions that realistically weren't going to change anything. When people (adults) start posting mean memes in the guise of being funny, it's concerning and unflattering. Grown-ups should understand the importance of their online reputation.
All of us are an extension of who we hang out with both offline and online. To be part of these virtual toxic playgrounds or a part of those that practice incivility rather than empathy or compassion, can be a reflection of who we are.
Isn't it time we start chipping away at this shame nation to rebuild a sane one? Let's start with our own mental well-being. The one nice thing about unfollowing (or unfriending) people is they are never notified. We're all a click away from a healthy newsfeed and refreshing our digital landscapes.
References
