Thank you, social media. You have reduced our level of communicating to 60 seconds and a performance and now I feel like the beauty of communication has been lost. No one has the patience to receive a message if it can't be delivered rapidly.
Or better yet, the entire message is missed if it doesn't come with a trendy audio/visual. Because... who reads captions, anyway?
Everyone is right and in this virtually super social world, everyone likes to remain stuck by their own perspectives or, better yet, only open to talk to those in agreement. Are healthy disagreements even allowed anymore?
We only learn through master classes, memes and life coaches and now, I can't even interact with the social experience that you volunteer without a subscription.
Welcome to our real world.
This blog is probably more for me than it is for you, but the writer in me needed an outlet.
Everyone was expressing how much they “missed the world” during the pandemic and now a lot of people are just refusing to heal from the PTSD that came attached to it.
I miss the days of being able to engage with people without it being weird or insulting.
If you hold a conversation longer than the standard quickie, you're flirting, have some sort of motive or you’re simply being nosey...
...and lawd forbid, if you don't agree, you could be a "simple bitch".
Everything these days is so self-serving, in the worst way.
I find myself communicating with people weekly, (because social engagement is a ‘thing’, right?), who intentionally go through 5,000 comments to antagonize mine. That goes without saying on YouTube. Lol. Who hurt y'all?
Criticism has lost all construction and, again, in a world where you can choose what you entertain, y’all run around raising your own blood pressures.
I digress.
I could always be in a funk about this, but I refuse. It’s made me value human experience so much more. Getting to know people, who they are and why they are feels like a treat. Like damn, you found ME worthy of getting to know you?! Let’s not talk about reciprocation. If I find myself talking for about 5 minutes straight, it’s almost habit for me to ask, “am I talking your head off?” lol. And before the conservatives chop my head off, yes, I do have a husband. But my life’s perspectives aren’t derived solely from his ideas and experiences… as mine shouldn’t be for him. The fact that I even addressed that before somebody came to address me is a 21st century habit.
Let’s switch things up this week. It’s the holiday season and a lot of people feel more sad and alone than you think.
I challenge you this week to connect to someone you encounter, even it’s just one person. What you deem to be a daunting task could be a conversation that enriches your life.
I promise you, “Hi” is usually a lot easier to say than “No”.
Love Ash
Thank you for this. Even before the pandemic hit, I have always said that "social" media has had the exact opposite effect on society. I'm just a down to earth person and enjoy talking with other people but, as you said, if you talk too long people think you have an ulterior motive. It's sad. But I hope to meet you one day, Ashley, because you're awesome and have done so much more for me than just helping me get fit.
Thank you for posting how I feel. I am determined to be better and do better because as a teacher there are so many families who need someone just to say hi and how are you. Keep motivating in words and deeds.
Very thought provoking. Thanks.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and encouraging words to be better humans your are heard & appreciated!
Like this Ash will try.