In the past day I was the target of 2 verbal jabs from people on Social Media. The first was a statement about “people” who write about “being what you are” not having a clue, and the second was a claim that I “must not be a Christian”.

Now, you can like my writing or not — you are entitled to your own opinions, and I have no problems with someone disagreeing with something I’ve said. I didn’t expect for everyone to agree with me when I started this blog. But something about these statements went beyond mere disagreement. These were personal attacks.

Which came first?

I was surprised. The incidents were unrelated, isolated. But they reminded me of a conversation I had just the other day with my wife, during the long drive back from Budapest. Seeing all kinds of sharp statements on social media, we were contemplating a sort of chick-and-egg question:

Has social media actually made people more spiteful and hateful, or did it simply unmask an evil contempt for others that already existed in all of us?

I agree with the latter statement, and that is in general how I view most things. The actual action is not really the problem; it just exposed the problem that already existed.

However, there are good people who fall on the other side, and they are entitled to their opinions. Some people believe that social media is bad, and while I disagree, I don’t blame them for coming to that conclusion.

Warts and all

It seems to me that saying social media is bad is the equivalent of saying that society would be better off without it. But I can’t help but think that people would still have the same thoughts in their heads, regardless of whether they had an outlet for them. Social media simply allows us to see ourselves for what we are.

That accurate picture includes flaws and warts — not just the parts that we want people to see. That which can’t be seen (or heard) goes without reproof. And real progress will never be realized if we never see the problems that exist.

And if we can see our problems and don’t have the will to fix them, then we never were all that advanced in the first place. 

Our “world” society has many problems. If you want to make an impact in this world, take your pick — there is so much darkness that needs to be illuminated. If that means that you are to go to some far corner of the earth and free slaves, then so be it. But if it means that means being a voice for change at your own dinner table, then do that as well.