Embracing the "Delete" Button

I’ve been heckled.

Insulted, rather.

(And – I might add – not in the hilarious manner of the stodgy old men in the Muppets balcony back in the day …)

A virtual stranger (kinda sorta) took to my Eyerollingmom Facebook Page and let ‘errrr rip.

Now, as most bloggers already know, the thick skin formed throughout a lifetime of writer rejection effectively safeguards us and keeps us pretty well insulated from negative rants. It comes with the territory. If a piece of writing successfully strikes a nerve in an audience, we’ve learned to look out. 

So while initially surprised and ultimately bemused (Really? Saggy boobs? That’s your best shot? Are we, like, fifteen? Really???) I simply hit the delete button and called it a day. 

It happens.

Whatevs.

I’ve been called out a few times for stating an opinion or six that wasn’t particularly appreciated and my obvious conclusion is that people generally don’t like being told they’ve behaved badly. 

In fact, I’m finding more and more that people who behave badly are usually irrationally defensive (and okay, LOUD) when it comes to people behaving badly

(You know, therefore, keeping the stereotype alive and kicking, and screaming and ranting and bullying…)

Jeers aside, I appreciate a spirited difference of opinion on many a topic (who can forget the great Other Woman Smackdown from 2010 and my subsequent Cyber Rebuttal?) I really do enjoy a healthy balance of “Oh-no-you-dit-in” and “What-you-talkin-‘bout-Willis?” to get to the inevitable agree-to-disagree moment.

I get that. I welcome that. We should all be able to spread our thoughts and opinions and perhaps teach someone something they might not have known before. Communication. Let’s do it.

But to resort to childish name-calling because you’ve got nothing intelligent to add to the conversation? Come on now. I wish I cared enough to elaborate on the level of stupidity that conveys.

Here’s the thing: It is entirely too easy to be negative in society.

It is easier still to be negative on the internet. We can hide behind screen names and pseudonyms and say whatever we want, whenever we want, without ever looking another person square in the eye.  And we can do so less than eloquently while in our pajamas.  Or sloshed on vodka.  Or lonely.  Or furious.  Or just bored.

There may not be immediate consequence for hitting the “Send” button on a bunch of words we wouldn’t dare say aloud to an actual person.

But there most certainly are consequences. In the case of hurling cheap shots, people just get a front row seat to ignorance.

A fellow blogger (awesome only because she is an intellect as well as a Rock Star) recently pondered the growing practice of negativity in cyberspace.  She came up with a pretty good plan: How about if everyone refrained from posting their negative comments until they’ve posted at least TWO positive one first.

Imagine that.

Don’t be a hater. I imagine you’re here by choice. If you don’t like what you’re seeing, do everyone a favor: click off.

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