I don’t remember how I started following her or why I even chose to follow her. Perhaps it was through that facebook group of women writers. Perhaps it was because she popped up as someone to follow in someone that I followed. It’s unknown.<\/p>\n
But I have become more vocal online about my discontent of being a person of color. Which oddly prior to 2016, I never was quite visibly vocal.<\/p>\n
And yet, of course, having ignored much of that myself, I didn’t have a really strong opinion or knowledge.<\/p>\n
And of course, that means that I am quite behind in everyday issues.<\/p>\n
So I may absentmindly respond to posts and replies especially if they’re to mine. And after I wrote a post that was firey in response to the recent news on birthright citizenship, she responded. Then I responded. Then she responded. But before I knew it, it seemed like I was being attacked. I didn’t bother looking back at my replies, because I knew immediately that something was misconstrued. Especially with who I<\/i> was suddenly to blame for Trump. I<\/i> representing all of America. But rather than detail out the disagreement, I knew that this was going to turn into a back-and-forth where nothing would be resolved.<\/p>\n
I sent a few private messages and replies in order to get it cleared up.<\/p>\n
But by late evening, it was simply clear that she was going stand her ground and didn’t even bother to respond at my attempts to reconcile.<\/p>\n
And for what?<\/p>\n
It made me wonder if this is what social media has become. The downfall of social media where flame wars start accidentally. Sometimes one-sided. When it doesn’t matter if people are civil any more. With the limited text, with the design intended for quick short conversations, with the limited attention spans, it’s easier to spar than to have a full discourse. It’s easier to jab and attack, then to thoughtfully consider with a full cohesive discussion. It’s easier to say that someone is wrong than to consider fully if someone understands.<\/p>\n
But perhaps that’s what social media is. It’s about getting a quick read on people. It’s about getting a quick connection. and in doing so, we have forgotten our true selves again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I don’t remember how I started following her or why I even chose to follow her. Perhaps it was through that facebook group of women writers. Perhaps it was because she popped up as someone to follow in someone that … Continue reading