Facebook Wars

Today, like most people, my facebook feed is flooded with comments about the death of Bin Laden. I've resisted posting anything until I could gather my thoughts. I have mixed feelings. I am emotional for friends who lost loved ones. I am emotional for everyone who lost people they love. I feel grateful for the people who put their lives on the line for our freedom. I feel that "patriotic" feeling that seems to be going around. I am also realistic. I would not be surprised if he left instructions for some attack to take place upon his death. The famous words of Isoroku Yamamoto come to mind after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor: "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

Many of the facebook posts evoke a significant amount of emotion for one reason or another. I was disappointed however to see the rampant speed at which these posts about what happened turned into typical facebook. What am I talking about? Facebook fights! I understand that if you put it out there you are asking for it, but it's simply unfortunate to see how people jump to conclusions and assume the worst about what someone else means...and then start a lengthy facebook fight. It's even more ridiculous when you can tell the people don't even know each other and have it out on the wall of a mutual friend!

This inspired me to list some rules to live by so you don't look like a total idiot:

1. People can't always tell what you "mean" when you write something. This also means that you can't always tell what someone else "means" when they write something.

2. People who don't know you personally really can't always tell what you "mean" when you write something. This also means that if you don't know someone personally, you really can't always tell what they "mean" when they write something.

3. You don't have to be personally offended by EVERYTHING someone says that goes against what you believe. Believe it or not, it's not always about you.

4. You don't have to try to make everyone who thinks differently than you look like a horrible person. Haven't you ever heard about that thing where you only make yourself look bad when you do that? It's true.

5. Show a little respect when it isn't your own facebook wall. Show some respect even when it is your wall.

6. Learn to utilize private messaging for discussions! You could even try the phone!

7. Ask someone to clarify what they mean before you assume and attack.

8. If you preach "tolerance," it means you have to be tolerant. Ouch. (I can't remember ever preaching "tolerance," so I have a clear conscience about writing this post. I'm more of a love and respect person. Yes I think all those words can mean different things...that's for a post to come.)

9. Learn to behave like a mature adult in the social networking world. It's probably not a bad idea to carry that idea out into the real world as well.

10. Aside from the "right or wrong" of social networking interaction, what you say and how you say it has real consequences. Don't learn that the hard way.