Posted on 10/30/2014 1:42:52 PM PDT by Tired of Taxes
On social media websites, how do you handle "friends" with completely different political viewpoints?
Suppose you want to keep in contact with family members. So you sign up for Facebook. Almost all of your "friends" are relatives. Some are Republicans, others Democrats. You love them all.
But your news feed shows their "likes" and their comments on many different issues. And some "friends" go to extremes, even using profanity and insulting conservatives.
Do you "like" the comments you agree with and ignore the ones you oppose? (This is what I've been doing so far.)
Or do you jump into every discussion and argue for your side on the issues?
Or do you pick and choose which discussions to jump into?
Or do you ignore your friend's "likes" and just "share" your own counter-"likes"?
Or do you simply "un-friend" the people who go so far to the left that they're obnoxious?
What do you do?
My friends are my friends, period.
people who cannot respectfully debate and converse, with ANYBODY of any political or religious leaning, with an open mind and willingness to consider the validity of any and all views, are merely animals who have learned to (presumably) not make messes in the house. All debate is good, all information is neither “bad” or “good”, merely accurate or inaccurate. I grew up in a household with a very liberal mother and very conservative father, rule of thumb - raise your voice or attack the person instead of the argument and you have LOST the debate (and if not a family member have become unwelcome).
I either ignore them or report them as spam LOL
What is ‘Facebook’?
I have two Farcebook accounts - a personal one and a music project page. I use no personal identifiers on either one (although some people in the “real” world now know who is behind that screenname). I don’t use either one for politics - that’s what FreeRepublic is for.
The personal one I use to keep track of family. I only had one altercation with a friend of a friend. I suggested that she back off from posting things that proved that she was an idiot. Naturally she took further offense.
So I cheerfully explained that she could take the nonsense elsewhere of else I would mock her relentlessly until she peed her britches. She stomped off in a huff and I haven’t heard from her since.
I agree 100%. I also grew up in a household where debate was encouraged. It was considered a healthy exercise.
But not everyone engages in civil debate. People either become offended far too easily, or they are offensive (making personal attacks, using profanity, etc.).
I almost jumped into a discussion angrily today. So glad I came here first and asked for advice.
The one thing I think I’ll continue to do is to very politely back up “friends” who’re being attacked.
LOL. I avoided Facebook until this year. I just signed up to stay in touch with extended family. See their photos. Keep up to date on how everyone is doing. I promised myself that I wouldn’t talk politics. But... boy, is it difficult to keep my mouth shut... lol.
Good for you. Has FReeping started to consume more and more of your time?
Be careful. FR is addictive.
Thank you ALL for your responses. :-)
This has been a helpful conversation. Lots of good advice here.
My social media IS FR, so any left-leani9ng trolls are promptly ZOTTED.
Seriesly, I disengaged from FB and several other sites YEARS ago.
Sorry for the typos...I just got in from work and am tired! LOL!
I’m really a newbie on FB. LOL. Just wanted to stay in touch with family. I’ve been ignoring the political comments, even the ones I agree with. Trying not to anger any relatives. Trying to avoid confrontation. I really had to bite my tongue a number of times.
But there was one today... and wow... I almost let loose with a fury. LOL. Glad I took a deep breath and came here instead.
I was on back in 2005. Since i am a bass-player, I “friended” a bunch of other bass-players. One was from Egypt, and was a stand-up acoustic Jazz bassist.
All of a sudden, I was getting MB and AQ propaganda posted on my wall!
I promptly disconnected and have never gone back.
FR has been addictive since I found it, in 1998. But one has to decide what to spend time on, and how much time to spend.
Actually, I find reading Twitter to be useful sometimes, for certain current events; I first started reading in earnest shortly after the Eric Frein thing happened - I have people not too far from there.
There’s a lot of useful information; but it’s frightening how young people expose themselves there, and on Facebook; and how desperate so many are for attention that they will risk embarrassing themselves for years to come.
If I had a kid, I’d say NO! to both Facebook and Twitter; and I think some of the grownups would do better to stay off of it, as well.
-JT
It’s rather sad that so many seem to be proud that they speak out on facebook.
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
Today it is the Socialists coming for the Conservatives...
By MB and AQ, I’m assuming you mean terrorist propaganda...? That’s a shame. I would’ve disconnected and never gone back, too.
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