The folks at our local economic development office are encouraging positivity on social media, pointing out that negative comments hurt economic development. And I totally believe it!
Let’s say my rich uncle Pennybags wills me a couple mil, and I decide all-of-the-sudden that I don’t wanna be in the radio business anymore (it’s a Marvel Comics “What If?” scenario, like what if the Hulk was purple and Spider-Man was BedBugMan cause he got bit by a radioactive bedbug). Anyway, let’s say I decide to open a restaurant in my adopted hometown, ohhhh…let’s call it “Wenty’s Smorgasburger.”
To better get an idea of my potential clientele I decide to roam social media and see what folks are saying (and let’s say, in this scenario, that a favorite local restaurant has recently closed and another is moving). All over social media I would see some pretty awful stuff. Complaining about the restaurants we have, talking about how great other town’s restaurants are, wondering why we don’t have such-and-such a place, and on and on and on. None of it trying to create meaningful discourse, all of it negative and generally horrible.
As someone planning to start a new venture I would be so terrified and repulsed by the kinds of things people were saying that my planned restaurant would be aborted before I could order my first solid gold non-stick burger flipper.
I see awfulness in the comments section on all kinds of stories…people criticizing local government agencies with all the delicacy of a wrecking ball, who would never in a million years have the baseline common sense to pick up the phone and call the agency in question to ask them why they do the things they do. Drama queens (gender notwithstanding) complaining that their home city, which has upwards of 10 restaurants, a 4-screen movie theater, library, museums, a beautiful park, a multi-million-dollar hospital and more, is a “ghost town.” Folks, the town I grew up in is population 45 and a half. There’s a general store, a bank open three days a week, an American Legion Hall and a gas station. THAT, for pete’s sake, is a ghost town.
Now this is where things get delicate. The company I work for has four Facebook pages and they all have the kinds of comments I described above. I don’t like many of the comments. They angry up my blood. But to censor one means you censor all, and I don’t believe in that either. People have the right to express their opinion, even if they’re…pardon my French…assholes.
Horrible behavior on Facebook, as I’m sure you know, is not an Alliance, NE problem. It’s a Planet Earth problem. Not having to look someone in the eye when eviscerating them offers more dutch courage than the largest bottle of gin you can buy. So here is my suggestion. When you get the itch to start arguing with some jackass on Facebook, think about your Mama. She raised you right. She taught you golden rules like “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Think about how ashamed and sad your Mama would be if she saw you bullying people and wallowing in virtual mud. (For the record, I think most Moms would be just as upset if you wallowed in actual mud. Moms generally look down on that sort of thing.)
So here is a picture of my Mom.
Look at her and picture her saying, “I saw that you didn’t call that anonymous person on the computer a nasty name. I’m so proud of you!” Or, “I love seeing you offer positive comments on My Space.” (It’s Facebook now Mom.) Or, “Honey, how do I listen to your show online? I had it bookmarked but I can’t find it anymore.” (That one’s a little specific but you get the idea.)
If .001% of Facebook commenters refused to knock heads with others…refused to think (and post) the worst in every situation…refused to take the bait…this world would be noticeably better! I have no slam-bang finish for this so….uh…ladies and gentlemen, The New Seekers!