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Do you want to poke the bear or be the change? That is what is running through my head. All this political crap going on in my country following the nastiest campaign I can remember.
I have stayed out of all the political rants and comments etc. It has seemed pointless. Speaking up has felt like poking a momma bear who is guarding her cubs. All I will get is attacked.
I don’t want to be attacked. Do you?
So I have stayed silent.
Until…
Yesterday I read the email I received Monday from a business associate based in Germany. The Social Ms. They are one of the leaders in content, social and online marketing.
They do not blog about politics. That is not their genre.
So what does their email have to do with politics then?
Apparently, the two have intersected. This is a huge problem. I have not been able to stop thinking about the magnitude of it.
I subscribe to their blog for help with SEO and social media marketing so getting an email from them was not out of the ordinary.
The content of it was.
The title of the email itself?
The Social Media Disaster That Will Need To Be Cleaned Up After The US Election.
What the heck does that mean?
They explained how the election in the United States was creating a global effect called a Filter Bubble.
I read the article they shared to explain what this “filter bubble” was. But I confess, I don’t completely understand.
What I do understand is that the hate filled crap flying around has been growing like a monster and something needs to be done.
I still didn’t know what to do. But I could no longer be silent.
I don’t want to poke the bear. I want to be the change.
How is that done in this hate-filled climate?
Many of us had hopes of all the nastiness going away after the election was completed. Unfortunately, we have been disappointed. After the election, social media was still as full (if not more) of all the ranting and hating and threatening nasty stuff.
It grieves my heart so deeply.
What is something that can be done that will actually make a difference?
We need change.
Good or bad, the next president that was elected is – a change. Donald Trump is a business man and not a politician. That is different. Time will tell if it is a good change or a bad change.
I read a tweet by a non-Trump supporter that expressed the hope that Mr. Trump would be a good president.
The hope! It was a hope.
It was not a declaration.
The tweet also encouraged people to unify by comparing the desire for Trump to fail, to the desire for a pilot to crash a plane you are on. I thought it was wise.
That tweet received many hate responses.
How do we be the change when everyone is so busy ranting and raving and pissing and moaning…
– no one is listening.
How do we get people to listen?
America needs change.
That was the slogan of the former campaign that won the white house. That we needed change. Well, we got change.
Then and now.
Not all the changes are good and not everyone is happy about it.
The nastiness of this last campaign is a bad change.
Many people have valid things to say if people will listen.
But America needs to decide what she wants to be.
– A bunch of spoiled selfish babies crying because they didn’t get their way? (talking to both sides here)
– Or grow up, learn how to share and use our words. Build a bridge.
I want to build a bridge. I want to be the change. Do you?
I want to be loving and kind. But that doesn’t mean I want to be a doormat either.
There is both good and evil in the world. I choose to be on the side of good.
What defines good is apparently what we disagree on. Am I right?
Can we talk? Will anybody listen?
I declare this to be a safe place. Discussion is welcome. Rude, hurtful or vicious comments will be deleted.
What kind of person do YOU want to be?
At the end, you ask, “Can we talk? Will anybody listen?” I think the first question is maybe the only one you need. We can’t talk with people who won’t listen. Just like I can’t get my son to be better at piano if he doesn’t practice (and/or doesn’t want to learn). WE can change, but it’s an uphill battle to try to change others.
Esther Hicks likes to say that we should stay on “our high flying discs” but to not descend to the lower flying discs of those who hate. Or at Gandhi would say, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Because we don’t know who’s listening. But maybe someone is. Thanks for posting!
Thank you Bradley. I appreciate your input and I see your point. It is likely there are some listening that are not talking. People we may not be aware of. Good point.
I ask that second question for the one who thinks talking is enough without listening, and might need to be reminded that communication is a two way street.
Thank you for sharing!
I just heard someone say the other day, “There are those who talk and listen and there are those who talk and wait their turn to talk again.”
That is so true! And there is also a difference between hearing, and actually listening. The latter is the one who is effectively communicating.
Again beautifully said. I do not share my thoughts or opinions on politics for the fear of being “attacked” and believing those who “attack” will not listen to what, why, or how I believe or stand for what I do. I believe many of us want and long for the same things, but find that communicating to the point of understanding has somehow become lost for the most part, especially when communicating over social media. I believe the world in general needs to be more attentive to what someone is saying only then can true understanding begin. This doesn’t mean we will agree with each other, just maybe be able to understand why we feel the way we do. I will definitely try to listen with the intent of hearing what someone is saying more in the future. Thanks for the post!
Thank you Christy. I like how you said “communicating to the point of understanding”. That is so important.
Thanks for the post! This really needed to be said. Some folks spout off about tolerance and inclusion, but won’t listen to, or tolerate anyone with a differing opinion. We are all different. When did violence and rancid verbal attacks become the accepted norm in our society? If people would simply “dial it down” a notch and listen, they would find out that we are all not that much different deep down inside. Let’s bring back love and understanding to the conversation!
Amen! Let’s bring back love and understanding to the conversation – love it! Thank you Michael.
I think it was well said. I agree that “we have to be the change we want to see in the world”-Gandhi
Thank you Naomi.
I totally feel that. Thank you. There is one guy whom I really admired up until Tuesday night. His Tweets the next few days and his email broadcast were shockingly negative, biased and fatalist. Maturity did not prevail.
I can’t remember where I saw it, but the advice was something along the lines of this. You can’t make anyone want to change. The best thing you can do is be a great example.
I’ve also noticed that outside of the media, social and traditional, this isn’t really happening that much.
Thank you Shayne! “be a great example” – That is what I want to be.