I’m getting carpal tunnel from the frequent clicking of the “hide” button on Facebook posts and scrolling past offensive memes and links from questionable sources.
Yes, I’ve composed political posts to express my frustration that the other side doesn’t get it and holy hell, if they only read my linked article they’ll see the light!
No. They won’t.
And, on the flip side, no, I won’t click on such posts.
So, why stay connected with folks who cause me to hide their posts? Maybe I think they are well meaning or just basically decent people who don’t share my views.
You do not want to be persuaded. You are set in your ways and thanks to social media, all you see is content that supports your views and attacks the other side.
Trying to convert anyone is a waste of key strokes. At least in terms of politics. Post another cat video. Give me your review of Bohemian Rhapsody.
I thought it was entertaining as a tribute to the music of Queen but as a biography…um…not that great.
Then again, what seems to bring the greatest satisfaction to keyboard warriors is being about to gloat over the enemy’s bewilderment and failures. Your guy lost, you idiot! How does it feel being such a loser?
COMING CLEAN
Okay, the photos and links below are slanted liberal because I have always voted Liberal or NDP. I grew up in Toronto and my first MPP was Stephen Lewis in Scarborough West. He set the bar so high for what I felt an elected representative should be and when my Dad was unemployed, Lewis met with my Father to help him out.
Dad found another job and I don’t know if Lewis played any kind of role in that, other than supporting his constituent, but I do know Joseph O’Mara thought the world of Stephen Lewis.
So…
If you’re conservative you may have called them “libtards” or dismissed them as no-nothing Hollywood elites and clueless singers.
Fair enough.
I find it harder to enjoy Cat Scratch Fever because of Ted Nugent’s political views. Love his music, the man…well, let’s move on.
SHAKE IT OFF, TAY TAY
Taylor Swift endorsed the Democratic senate candidate in Tennessee.
He lost, leading Stephen Colbert to say that Tay Tay didn’t have much sway sway. Good on Taylor for speaking out and trying but even a pop superstar couldn’t change political stripes or convince fence sitters.
If you follow Rob Reiner on Twitter you’ll get tweets about his movies but, to paraphrase his character from This is Spinal Tap, you’ll get more, a lot more.
Mostly anti-Trump rants.
As a small L liberal and someone who still feels like Trump’s election was just a bad dream…a really awful nightmare worthy of Stephen King (more on him later)…I have cringed, nodded, cursed and gnashed my teeth along with Reiner.
But he’s preaching to the converted.
Somehow I don’t see Republican supporters in Tennessee saying, “Hey, the director of ‘When Harry Met Sally’ can’t stand Trump, maybe I should rethink this!”
Katie Herzog wrote this terrific piece for The Stranger.
The main point she makes is, Republicans will vote Republican based on their long-standing beliefs and the idea of women supporting each other based on gender alone is not realistic.
“White women are not a monolith. We don’t all know each other. We don’t all go to the same church or yoga class. Some of us, in fact, don’t go to church or yoga at all. “
And now, without further ado, not so constant reader, the master of horror fiction, Stephen King.
I’ve read almost every King novel and, as is the case with Rob Reiner’s tweets, I enjoy King’s constant ridiculing of his President. I mean, it’s Stephen Fucking King, why wouldn’t his tweets be awesome?
And again, preaching to the choir.
Whether it’s Tay Tay, Rob Reiner, George Clooney or Uncle Stevie (as King sometimes refers to himself) the reaction from the right is to be less of a fan or even boycott the artist.
“Clooney’s a dam libtard and he was a shitty Batman, too.”
George wasn’t well suited to be the Caped Crusader but even a super hero can’t change minds, especially closed ones.
TRU-DOPE
So, the next time you post a meme calling Justin Trudeau an idiot or think I should read a piece from an overly-conservative website or an out-and-out nutjob commentator or blogger, I’m hiding it.
If it is from a Facebook group that has “pride” at the end of its name, I’m hiding them as well. Stop pestering me with conspiracy theories and opinions masquerading as news.
I’m a journalism graduate. A big supporter of the media and that includes reputable conservative-leaning publications like The National Post and Macleans.
There’s a huge difference between a right wing paper or magazine that still employs dedicated, fact-checking journalists and educated pundits and the batshit crazy sycophants and propagandists at Fox News.
You aren’t going to change my opinion on politics. I won’t change yours, or even attempt to do so.
I’m not saying you should stop posting and ranting. It’s your right. You feel the need to vent and you’ll get plenty of support from like-minded individuals.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some animal rescue videos to watch.
