The 'social media' you vs The 'real-life' you

Do you ever look at a post on Facebook and think "I really like this person, but if we only knew each other through Facebook, I would most definitely think they were bat shit crazy and we would most definitely NOT be friends!"

Seriously ya'll.

I'm really starting to think there are some friends and even some family members that I should only know in the real world and NOT on social media.  I have seen people that I have known for YEARS and have never known a damn thing about their political leanings who have exploded into meme-sharing, hate-mongering lunatics!!!  I guess I'm just having a hard time reconciling the person I know with the person that they are online.  This also applies to those who share stuff and then let their comments section devolve into a mudslinging, name-calling cesspool.  I've seen some pretty disgusting things recently in comments sections and I wonder, 'why don't you just delete that?  Are you really just going to sit there while someone says stuff like that on YOUR comments thread?'

I know everyone is entitled to their own opinions.  Trust me, I have some very strong opinions on a lot of things.  Unfortunately, social media has just given everyone a wide-open platform to voice every opinion and thought that they have and a lot of people do it to the point of overkill.  If you feel that need just buy a diary or a journal and start writing.  Facebook is not your diary.

Before social media I don't think I could even tell you the political views of many of my friends.  I guess we just never discussed it much.  Maybe we were just too busy doing fun stuff and actually interacting with each other and the world.  Now I pretty much know where everyone stands because they will damn sure post about it!

The 'snooze for 30 days' feature of Facebook has become my new best friend!  You get a lovely little vacation from a person's lunacy until the 30 days is over and a post pops up from them and then it's 'oh shit!!  Hit the 30 day button again!!!!!'  I've also 'unfollowed' a LOT of people.  It's a bit of conundrum isn't it?  'You're a family member so I feel like we really should to be Facebook friends but I'm seriously OVER seeing your political rants.'  Or, 'we've been friends for a really long time, but you're never like this when we're face-to-face and I actually think you might need medication.'  ;-)

I'm guilty, too.  Back in the day on Facebook I posted my fair share of rants and political opinions.  Facebook 'memories' really sheds a fun little spotlight on that period of our lives doesn't it??  Some days I look through my 'memories' and wonder what in the hell was I thinking??  I guess we all just felt good about the fact that we had a platform from which to spew our oh-so-important opinions.  I can tell you this:  there has never been a meme or a social media post that has made me think, 'you know what, they may be right!  I need to switch my political affiliation!!' So, there's that.

In other news, it's been a looooooonnnnggggg time since I've blogged ya'll!!!  Like 5 years!!!  Guess this was just something that was on my mind and I didn't want to clog your Facebook feed with it ;-)

Cheers!!!