Can you keep politics out of social media?

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"On the topic of politics, social media is where civility and decorum go to die."

Quote of the day from a professor of business law and ethics in this article about social media and politics:

Social Media Would Be Better If It Wasn't So Political

Isn't this the truth?  I'm not sure about you but I felt like it all got worse with the elections in 2016.  But I'm not here to argue that, I am just here to reiterate that I hate it!  I also can't claim that I am innocent of the crime.  While I used to share my opinions often I have chosen to avoid the challenge of managing friendships and politics.  What IS difficult is determining where to draw that line between what is really politics and, for me, what is ethical and for the good of humanity.  I have no shame in saying my youngest daughter is a lesbian, when in fact I celebrate her.  I won't hesitate to post my support for LGBTQ.  For me, that is about humanity, not politics.  But someone else could, and will, disagree.  The same goes for climate change.  I am 100% on board with saving the planet and am fully in support of directing funding toward this cause.  To me, that is not politics, that is a moral obligation.   But again, not everyone agrees. 

The BIG problem is that people are MEAN about it!  Now that hiding behind a screen is an option people don't seem to care what they say or how they say it.  And they care even less how it makes others feel because, in the end, it makes them feel better to say it.  Don't we all feel better when we say what we feel?  But empathy is out the window and politics is not about voting for representatives anymore.  Politics has become the scissors and the connections between people are the dotted lines.  But everyone has the choice to cut or not to cut.  So that is the question.  Will you cut? 

Comments

  1. Samantha MatherneOctober 7, 2023 at 6:50 PM

    I have dealt with people online and in my life who think politics are a part of everything, and I wholeheartedly disagree. While many aspects of life can and do trace back to government, life does not have to always be about politics.

    If I come across a post on TikTok that I fully disagree with politically, I scroll past it. As you said, people tend to be mean to those that disagree with their views on social media, and I concur that anonymity behind a screen is a huge part of that meanness. I'll occasionally respond to a rude comment on social media with something like, "being kind costs nothing". Mean commenters do not like that, whether it's about politics or not. Luckily, I have not lost any friends due to political disagreements, but I know someone who has.

    The article you shared mentioned the political echo chambers of social media. The sad truth is too many people tend to attack or try to convert those who disagree with them politically online. Sometimes saying nothing is best, which can mean keeping politics out of at least your own social media activities to a great extent (if not entirely).

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