• the journey
  • online outdoors
  • hikes & events
  • photos
  • blog
  • about me
  • contact
jason journeyman
  • the journey
  • online outdoors
  • hikes & events
  • photos
  • blog
  • about me
  • contact
jason journeyman

Take off the Social Media Mask

7/13/2016
Social media mask avatar selfie gay bear
Me, mask free.
There's a real, fascinating, sometimes frightening, but ultimately beautiful world out there. Then there's a fake, surreptitious, sometimes comforting, but often crude digital world.

I think you can tell which one I prefer based on that description alone.

Both worlds are populated by actual people. In one world we see those people face-to-face, usually forcing a level of civility, politeness, and kindness. Not always, but usually. There are jerks, douchebags, fools, and a few dangerous psychopaths out there, but mostly when we're in-person we're nice to one another.

In the other world we see people through an avatar, a social media mask, removing nonverbal forms of human communication like facial expression and tone, usually stripping away the norms of tact and empathy in the process. Usually, but not always. There are kind, caring, and loving people all over the digisphere, but looking through a screen sometimes puts blinders on our otherwise exceptional eyes, leading to crassness and cruelty.

Every day most of us encounter both worlds. We watch as digital communication implodes into friend-on-friend Facebook wars (and maybe sometimes we even participate), before having a real world friend-on-friend lunch that restores our faith in humanity.

I ride the same roller coaster: I usually try to be an advocate instead of an argument, but sometimes I fail. I also make an effort to connect for real with my friends and family as much as possible, but again, sometimes I fail.

I was recently tested on both fronts when I received an abrupt blast from my distant past. Someone took the time to send me an angry message and then promptly blocked me so I couldn't respond. Beyond the fact that my interpretation of events couldn't be more different from theirs, I wasn't able to explain myself or to possibly apologize for any hurt I caused so many years ago.

​There was the social media mask, staring me in the face and resorting to anger, but not willing to let us talk it out like real humans.

I may never truly understand this strange, new, loud-but-noncommunicative digital world, but my goal is to survive and be kind in it.

When given the chance, we should opt to spend our time in the real world, the present, as much as possible. But when we do dive into the murky digital world, we can bring with us the same civility, cordiality, and conversation we typically use in the real one.

The ability to hide behind the digital mask is physical, we're literally separated, so it was bound to change us. But maybe with a little extra effort---giving that update, comment, message, or block a second thought---we can act more mindfully about it.

​We can learn to treat our fellow man like they're standing right in front of us, even when they're actually miles away.
Comments
    Access Octomono Masonry Settings

    blog search


    author

    My name is Jason Wise. Life's all about the journey, man. Find me on  Instagram  and Facebook.


    archives

    May 2020
    April 2020
    April 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014


    categories

    All
    About Me
    Balance
    Change
    Cosmos
    Digital World
    Hope
    Journeyman
    Love
    Mindful
    Mindful Activity
    Mindful Advocate
    Mindful Movies
    Mindful Recommendations
    Monthly Challenge
    Music
    Nature
    Nerdy
    Pics
    Poems
    Practice
    Published Elsewhere
    Quotes
    Reaction
    Relationships
    Social Media
    Urban Disconnection


    subscribe

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

     Subscribe in a RSS reader