Social Media Rules of the Road
These are my "rules of the road" for posting on Facebook. Please keep me honest, and let me know if I break my own rules:
Pick your battles. If you oppose everything or support everything, then people stop listening to you. Biden/Trump did some good, and Biden/Trump did some harm. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Post about what you know. If you don't know more about BOTH SIDES of an issue than the average Joe, then you are not adding to the discussion. Tell me something I don’t know.
Fact check your own posts. If you are posting without fact-checking, then you are spreading fake news. Your friends don't like fake news, either, and they are fact-checking your posts.
Be specific. If you set out to offend people and you are not specific about who you are trying to offend, then you will offend a lot of other people, too. Better yet, don't set out to offend people.
Don't confuse facts and opinions. When you make an outrageous statement, at least start with saying, "In my opinion," so no one has to fact-check it. Better yet, don't make any outrageous statements.
Have perspective. The nation is divided on whether the President is doing a terrific job or a terrible job. Half of your friends agree with you. If all of your friends agree with you, you need more friends.
Know your place. Everyone thinks that they are centrists and that those who disagree are extremists. Folks, there are no centrists. Chances are you are an extremist, one way or another. Own it.
Look for common ground. After all, there should be centrists. Even on the controversial issues, like abortion and gun control, most people are somewhere between "all good" and "all bad."
No name-calling. If you cannot express an opinion without calling people "deplorables" or "libtards," then you may be un-friended. Worse, you may be un-friended in the real world, too.
No violence. Nuff said.
