I’m tired of the knee-jerk uneducated and uniformed
opinions splattered all over social media and the
resulting mindless group exercise of the modern
day witch hunt. Half-baked news spreads like typhoid
infested waters with the pressing of Android thumbs
and everybody’s an expert. And everybody’s opinion
is as self-righteously correct as the texter’s before
them and the millions to follow.
We will show our solidarity, dammit, and you will know
our view is right and true by the signs we hold up on
the screens of YouTube or FaceBook or even on the
network evening news because the media wouldn’t
compromise truth for hits or ratings.
And should you dare to have an opposing opinion or
be reluctant to judge before all the facts are known,
you will be painted with the tar brush of blasphemy
on Twitter and labeled a heretic doomed to burn in
the wildfire called “sharing” by the social media righteous.
There is no quest for the real truth in internet addicted America.
There is only the cult of social media and its unquestioning followers.
Charlotte Hamrick 
So, I hope you’re not insulted if I retweet this. Excellent critique of a phenomena wherein political activity is registered not in ballots, but in click-thru SENDs. Excellent!
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Haha. I tweet and FaceBook too, Mosk, although I’m thinking of deleting my FB account. I can see myself getting more cynical each time I go there and I don’t want to be cynical.
But I do love my Twitter. So much easier to control and I use it pretty much strictly for fun.
Thanks for the kind words – it means a lot coming from someone who isn’t shy about speaking his mind in his own work. 🙂
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It is a phenomenon! Addicting but so informative and pics on our facebook to share with family. News, I’ve never been so informed in all my life. Now to get it simplified, still useful, no hurt feelings, creativity abounding and keep moving forward. Yeah! I think we should take note just cause we tweet something or retweet doesn’t mean we are 100% on board, sometimes it means I’m thinking about it. Cut people slack, but be a little mannerly.
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But, see, I do think most people (including myself) believe if you retweet, like or share something that you agree with it.
I don’t mean to condemn every social media site or those of us who participate in them as mindless. But I hope people think before they click.
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Yes, I would say I agree with 95%-99% of what I retweet, sometimes I’m still thinking about it or want to read it the next day. What do u think about the freedom of speech thing? You know the free for all and bashing of others…I don’t like that.
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This is about as close as I get to a social network.
“There is no quest for the real truth in internet addicted America.
There is only the cult of social media and its unquestioning followers.”
Believe you me, it aint just America!
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I’m sure that’s true but my experience is mainly with Americans so…..
Thanks for reading and commenting!
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This is an exceptional line: “you will be painted with the tar brush of blasphemy”
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Thanks, Shawna. I appreciate your comment.
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I am happy to be called a cultist if showing my solidarity to so many awesome poet’s and poetess needs to be so named. How else would I have found my way to you? I really enjoyed you sharing this!
Tell it like it is, and let the hits and likes fall where they may!
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Very graciously stated, Cloud. Fortunately for me, I don’t write for hits or comments so I can say what I think!
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You speak the truth, Zoux! I’ve gotten to the point where I can’t visit FB without coming away upset. I beleive in saying my mind, and in most cases I am informed before I speak. The truth is what’s missing in the Internet world and on many social sites. Our world seems to be centered on opinions, these days; very few facts. Everyone follows someone else’s agenda, and seem unable to think on their own. Sorry. I kind of got on my soapbox there. Nice write!
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Social Media can be a conduit for good but it’s penchant for blind following is alarming to me. It’s so easy to retweet or share without educating yourself of the facts of an issue and making up your own mind. For instance, I just read this morning that Spike Lee retweeted what he thought was George Zimmerman’s address. Actually, it was the address of an elderly couple who have now had to leave their home in fear. This is exactly my point of irresponsible use of social media.
Our soapboxes are similar, Charles, and you may step up on yours here anytime. 🙂
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I heard tht about Lee’s tweet. Unbelievable.
Thanks for the box!
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def. some truth in this and one of the negative sides of the whole social media boom.. on the other hand there are experts on the internet that would’ve never made it to my living room otherwise…so if i want to know how to play a specific note on my sax or how to bind a tie..voila…lots of crap..lots of wrong information…but there’s def. gold among it…just needs a bit of patience to dig… but i def. get what you mean and sometimes, reading or watching these self-crowned experts makes me sick and angry…
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Claudia, I love the internet for accessing information too. It’s made so many aspects of life easier including self-education. But my criticism of social media as I stated to Charles above
stands. I love interacting on Twitter with my friends but I hope I never get so caught up in the moment that I pass along incorrect or damaging information.
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amen…we have grown to belief whatever rings of truth in the moment and what our emotions tell us is right or righteous and it is our right to share it or smear it across the net…yes…that is us…
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What a beautifully cynical write! Awesome!
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You make a very valid point in this well-written prose piece.
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