Life is a learning process; don’t sell yourself short by being too full of yourself. This declaration comes after being constantly assaulted by very radical and close-minded opinions of those on my social media networks. Though my frustrations with the ignorant and rather rude posts that I come across could be eliminated by simply unfriending or unfollowing the people who post them, I choose not to. If I were to unfollow people every time they post something that I do not like or agree with, the result would be a shallow view of the world. I would be surrounded by either solely my own thoughts or the thoughts and ideas of those who think exactly as I do. In doing this, I would take away my opportunity to see things from another perspective, to further shape my opinions, and to grow more as a person.
I am not writing this column to call out and berate those who choose to post ideas opposing to mine. Instead, I want to send a message to anyone with an opinion: While we are all entitled to our opinions and have the right to express them, it is not always necessary to do so. Be mindful of how your messages can and will be received. Granted, it’s neither yours nor anyone else’s job to ensure that no one’s feelings are hurt by whatever you say. However, if your goal in writing is solely to insult and not to educate or aid in the expansion of minds, maybe you should take a moment to think about what purpose your opinion is serving.
Dialogue is the foundation of our growth as human beings. Our thoughts and opinions have far more value than to be expressed as insults. Utilize the opportunity to communicate your thoughts as a way to grow and help others grow. There has never been a single living person who has known all things, and, as people, we are all continuously learning every day. Take advantage of the opposition around you and explore where those ideas come from. You may end up learning more about a subject than you already knew or even come across something totally new to you.
Social media provides a great platform for dialogue to take place and should be used for more than a tool for humiliation or trolling. With the number of issues facing many societies today, conversation amongst citizens is crucial. It would be rather interesting to see whether or not social media networks could become new platforms for civic engagement. As we continue to advance in technology and busy ourselves in our everyday lives, we may be passing the time of the town hall meeting and entering a time of online forums wherein we can interact and discuss issues with those around us.
Erynn Williams is a senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies. Her column runs biweekly.
