Not ‘blogging’ blogging today. This won’t be keyword loaded or SEO optimized (sorry Yoast), no career advancing ambitions business blather.
This is Hard
Blogging is an outlet. But it’s hard – to wrap my head around what’s happening, to find words, any words.
I enjoy the fun parts of social engagement, online and off – networking with other professionals, making new friends, jokes, GIFs and memes, the likes and pleasant comments, travel pics and food porn and of course, kitten videos.
There’s a down side too, as the Internets and social media are also hostile and scary, full trolls and haters hiding behind a cloak of ‘free speech’ rhetoric, unsolicited junk pics, and Game of Thrones spoilers.
I’ve always thought that social media’s dark side was a disturbing reflection of our world – more of a symptom or side effect than the disease.
Excuses a plenty
I’ve got all the excuses for why I haven’t gotten more involved as planned – hedging with a ‘yet’ – but the truth is I’m scared.
WYSIWYG but it’s never the whole me. I’m a private, introverted, shy, non-confrontational social person.
There’s too much to risk by being controversial, nothing to be gained from conflict. I see (try to) both sides and usually think, lose lose.
Charlottesville. Happened.
It was horrible and terrible, and terribly horrible that some people don’t see why. Worse I lack the words to even go there.
Do I share this great post or that story? Then wait for someone in my social circles, who exists on a steady diet of Fox news, to judge or attack? Mute, block, unfriend or unfollow? I don’t want to do that, there are cases when I can’t do that.
The “please don’t read” title of that blog says it all – OMG what if someone actually sees this, the ‘wrong’ someone?! See also: why I self-filter on social media; even my bad Twittering is guarded.
I’m quipping and using clever memes, but please don’t think I’m joking or making light of what’s happening in the world. I’m blogging out loud, but there are no words. FWIW.