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It's toxic out there

Social media is toxic lately. It really is.
Opinion-Janice

Social media is toxic lately. It really is.  

I can’t count the number of posts I’ve unfollowed, snoozed, or hid in the past few weeks. And it’s not simply because I disagree with them.  

I’ve always found myself to be a very middle ground kind of person. I choose to sit in the center. I like to take a breath – look left, look right, maybe look left a second time, and right once more. Usually, I stay where I am. In the middle. 

Unfortunately, us middle people tend to be a quiet group. We watch. We observe. We stay at the back of the room. We listen to the people who are angry and upset. We feel for them. And, we even yearn to pull them into the middle with us.  

Being in the middle is nice. But it requires patience.  

And social media is sure testing that patience. So, while I don’t usually feel like I need to get things off my chest, or voice an overly strong opinion, there are a few misconceptions I need to clear up. 

First, it’s not ‘pushing an agenda’ if you simply don’t agree with what’s being said or who is saying it. There have been various political parties in existence since our political systems were put in place. We simply don’t all agree – and we never will. 

While you might not appreciate or approve of the opposition parties in place – they do in fact play a crucial role in government. If you feel like someone is pushing an agenda, you may need to check your own agenda at the door. 

Second, you may not approve, appreciate or like a ruling political party’s view – and that’s OK. So, be thankful for the opposition parties who are in place. Take a breath and remember that your voice isn’t the only voice.  

A lot of Canadians, or Albertans, or whoever we may be talking about, have voted a specific way, resulting in the governments at hand. 

That is democracy. 

Third, it makes no sense to accuse the media of ‘flip flopping sides.’ Those who went to school and studied journalism know the task at hand is to present more than one side of a story or topic, so ‘flip flopping sides’ is actually a requirement of the job. Also, living in the middle means you get to flip flop easily - on a mental level - and happily go back to the middle at the end of the day. 

Lastly, you are allowed to disagree. But, you’re not allowed to be mean. I feel like a parent speaking to their two-year-old child as I write that sentence, but it needs to be said, especially as we enter a week that is dedicated to anti-bullying and spreading kindness. 

If you feel angry, maybe you need to walk away from whatever is setting your anger off. That might mean shutting off your phone, walking away from the computer, and maybe even deactivating your social media accounts for a while. 

Once you take a breath, feel free to come hang out in the middle. Not everyone who disagrees with you falls on the opposite end of the political spectrum of you. They have simply lived different experiences and hold different truths. Your truth isn’t my truth, and I acknowledge that my truth isn’t yours. 

And quick side note – there are real people behind those social media sites you comment on and send private messages to when you let anger get the best of you. 

It can be easy to feel disconnected in a world where we are supposed to be so connected. 


Janice Huser

About the Author: Janice Huser

Janice Huser has been with the St. Paul Journal since 2006. She is a graduate of the SAIT print media journalism program, is originally from St. Paul and has a passion for photography.
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