What I Should Have Said/Will Say on Social Media

I find so many things on Facebook which I share simply because it makes a point I feel is important to be made at that moment.  I’ll admit to Liking and Sharing the occasional snarky witticism which seems to be found on every inch of Facebook. Sometimes it will involve a video starring cute kittens or puppies, but more time as than not my Likes/Shares could be lumped in a category which I charitably call: “Jesus Christ!  The President is Really a Massive Douche Bag!”

We’re probably all familiar with the postings from such groups as Occupy Democrats or Blue Tsunami.  They will include some sort of factoid or a quote about Herr Orange or one of his like-minded followers, followed by an opposing point of view refuting the original statement.  These will be disseminated for all to see, share, like, and shred on the wonderful social media web sites. 

One of my old co-workers has apparently taken umbrage at some of the postings I have shared.  She has screamed, “GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT…” on several occasions.  Oh yeah, like she vets everything she posts on Facebook.   Doubtful, extremely doubtful.

So, in the future, I may have to include the following disclaimer just to keep the Facebook bullies at bay:

“Disclaimer:  This posting may or may not agree with your ideological, political or romanticized view point of life.  It is posted solely to convey and communicate a particular fact that the sender (moi) feels the need to be conveyed and/or communicated at this moment in time.  It is sent with full certainty and faith that the originator of this post exercised and undertook every protocol of fact checking and source verification that is a hallmark of modern journalism.  On this point we can certainly agree to disagree.”

“I will believe that this post is fully accurate solely because it makes sense and fits in with my view of life and issues, regardless of how twisted those views may be.  However, if my beliefs seem to conflict with what you believe to be true, we should not denigrate the other person.  In the future, we will endeavor to check the facts and verify the source of all forms of news, factoid and/or propaganda and supply all footnotes, bibliographic information pertinent to the post.  This will be done as time permits.”

Let me point out the key concept here: As time permits.  I can almost guarantee that will never happen.   After all I’m too busy scrolling through endless videos of cute kittens and puppies.  

Who has time to get their facts straight other than the journalists who dedicate (and in some countries sacrifice) their lives to keeping us informed about the world around us.  Yes, the same people who are labeled as “fake news” propagandists by the same people who insist that WE got our facts straight!

As the late Sam Kinison might have screamed, “AGHHHHH!  AGHHHH!”

(Thank you for reading.  And this goes for the social media bullies too!)

Grazing for Justice

The man who was an important leader of the anti-apartheid movement and its associated struggles against racism and injustice was nothing more than a pop culture footnote in the west.  Hugh Masekela?  “Oh, yeah!  He had a hit, umm, wait it’s on the tip of my tongue.  Oh yeah, Grazing in The Grass” could be considered a typical response among Baby Boomers.

This in itself could be counted as another injustice Mr. Masekela could have railed against.  No matter.  We’ll remember him now a few days after his passing in South Africa at the age of 78 not only as “the father of South African jazz”, but an artist who strove to teach the rest of humanity lessons of tolerance through his music.

Yes, that Hugh Masekela.

(Thank you for reading.  Rest in Peace, Mr. Masekela.)

Things in My Life For Which I Am Grateful*

  

1.  A mortgage

Seriously this gives me an excuse to leave my house to earn money at…

2.  A job

Which pays for #1 and other necessities like food…

3.  Hunger

Which forces me to walk away from the computer and its social temptations once in a while to get nourishment.

4.  Sleep

The need for rest forces more time away from the dreaded banality of the Internet.

5.  A sh*thole president who makes the last days of our civilization entertaining and, dare I say, diverting?

6.  Scratch #5.  What the hell was I thinking?   Our sh*thole president just compounds the tedium with feelings of dread and loathsomeness.

7.  My cats

I tear myself away to sit with Nyla in my lounge chair; adore Oreo while we watch the morning news; and pet Gigi when she reaches out to scratch the hell out of my bare legs while I sit at the computer.

8.  Warrior Queen

Who breaks the monotony of things I find interesting on the Internet with things that she finds interesting on the Internet.

9.  Warrior Queen when she calls out the wonderful words: “Spo has a new post up!”  This happens at least once every other day.  Thank you God for our friends in the blogosphere.  Their essays and ruminations on life, the universe, and everything else are a pleasant diversion from the silly viral videos gives me hope that intelligence does still exist on the planet.  Oh, and Bob's editorial funnies on Sunday morning are to die for!

Time for me to break away again: Gigi is scratching (OUCH!) for attention.

*Because they break the tedium of social media.  Mind you I’m only on Facebook, I do not Tweet, nor do I have Instagram.

(Thank you for reading.  Now take a break from the Internet, go forth and live!)