Why Generation Y Should Learn How to Practice What They Post
We all have that one social media “acquaintance” who we are friends with on Facebook, or follow on Twitter, who needs a reality check. Yes, a good ol’ reality check. Whom did you picture? As we scroll down our newsfeed, we can’t deny stopping and scrolling back up just to read his or her rants only to piss us off in the end. It’s unreal.
It’s kind of like a cycle for me (maybe because I have too much time on my hands). Whenever someone gets into some social media drama, I am the girl behind the screen reading all 42 comments and giggling to myself. I even make sure to search them a few hours later to check up on the entire situation hoping that “acquaintance” didn’t get hit with the embarrassment stick and delete the thread.
But then there are times when I can’t even bear the emotion that fills up in my body because this one person decided to write a novel on Facebook and I took the time to read it. I actually wasted some of my life reading about how her boyfriend cheated on her while ripping him a new a-hole only to wake up the next morning to see that they have worked things out. What a bummer.
Instead of practicing what you preach, Generation-Y needs to learn how to practice what it posts. Yes, you heard me. Practice. What. You. Post. It might just be me and a couple billion other people, but I can’t get myself to put my personal life on social media because I don’t want people to know that one second I am happy and the next I am mad that my hot wings aren’t crispy enough.
Now I’ve done it before. I have typed a couple novels out (here and there) that would make people guess that I was having personal relationship issues but then I immediately deleted every single letter because I convinced myself I was PMSing and would regret it in five minutes.
Before you go ahead and let your fingers linger on the keyboard about every thought in your brain, here is some advice that will make you think twice:
No one cares:
This is true. No one cares about what you post on Facebook or Twitter, which may be the reason you posted it in the first place but you better believe that once someone says something negative, that’s all you will be thinking about for the rest of the week. Every long ass rant you think will change people’s minds and lure them to your side of the yard doesn’t work -- it will only piss them off.
If you want to call your significant other/friend out over something personal, you should do it to his/her face:
I mean come on, really? How does someone have the balls to call a boyfriend/girlfriend out on social media? If that ever happens, and I don’t mean to be rude, but you have more issues than Vogue. You’re not only embarrassing that person, but you’re embarrassing yourself. Yes -- it’s very entertaining for those reading it, but do you want all 720 of your Facebook friends not to trust you? You better believe that if we ever became close friends, I wouldn’t tell you any of my deepest, darkest secrets.
We will never look at you the same:
We know your entire life now. The good, the bad and the ugly.
If you’re not ready to answer questions, don’t press “post” or “send”:
This one actually cracks me up. I love seeing rants on social media and when someone asks, “Oh no, what’s wrong?” the reply is “I don’t want to talk about it.” YOU ARE POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR A REASON.
You have your clique to babble to:
Friends are in your life for a reason. I text the girls every time something irritates me and they tell me to either snap out of it (if it’s about something stupid) or comfort me. That’s what friends are for. They already take you for who you are. They’ve seen you at your worst and hopefully your best.
Now, there are exceptions to posting your opinions in novel form and here is why practicing what you post is crucial in 2014. If you are trying to make the public aware of a problem, fine. By all means, show me what you got, but there are two rules to that and here they are (drum roll please):
Please don’t make it more than a paragraph:
The public will give you a paragraph, unless it’s either a funny or heartfelt story that is well written, then you may go on to two paragraphs. Maybe three.
Be able to back it up:
I can only beg of you to give me facts. I will also respect that post if you are able to give a commenter who disagrees with you an even better comeback. Also, using punctuation and correct grammar is a major plus. Educate yourself.
If you want people to take you seriously, act like it. Don’t ramble on about your personal life that doesn’t involve every single person reading it. You are only hurting your personal image. Show people that you are trustworthy and intelligent. Show people that you have a wonderful life so that people take you seriously instead of thinking that you are vulnerable and are seeking attention.
People want to see others on social media have good days with posts that embrace their goals and accomplishments. I also want to know that those same people have the guts to work things out directly with the boyfriend/girlfriend/friend they are having a tough situation with because 90 percent of the time, you will figure it out sooner or later. In the end, all I am asking is to be yourself on social media -- with a filter.
Photo via Tumblr
