I enjoy Facebook – especially the silly stuff: the perfect BLT, the six-year-old’s wisdom shared by a parent, the photo of a photo circa 1979, and the Sports and Television play by play.
I don’t watch The Walking Dead, but I don’t have to: I follow the live feed from my friends.
I don’t enjoy the rant – the righteous, well-meaning, at-times angry and indignant rant – often coinciding with a helpful link to an article that may or may not be valid -- and is often without context.
Now, I am not saying ban politics, meaningful dialogue, and self-righteous anger from social media. If I don’t want to engage, I don’t have to. And that is usually the path I take.
Indeed, what bothers me is not necessarily the tenor of these rants, nor the misinformation they sometimes contain, nor even the way they too often simplify complex issues and speak only to those who already agree.
What bothers me is the fact that these rants may provide the authors the satisfaction that they have done their part by ranting against rather than dialoging with someone.
Moreover, I guess I like stories – because behind every silly post and random photo rests someone’s authentic and honest story.
If we really want to invoke change and healing, maybe we ought to leave the house and seek another’s story. Preferably someone who sees the world differently. Then, adjust our rant to something more akin to a dialogue, maybe over a meal, and get to work.
And if things get tense, we can always take pictures of our food.
I’m Michael Perry, and that’s my perspective.
