Sometimes the internet makes me cranky.
Like, when a friend of mine posts something and I see a rude comment underneath by one of their friends. Here's an example that I've been carrying around for a few months: a friend of mine posted "This is the only bad part about having a live Christmas tree.", and then she posted a picture of the mess of pine needles left on her carpet. Funny, right? Because it's relatable to people- especially house fraus like me- who understand the annoyance of finding pokey little pine needles embedded in the carpet months after the holidays are over. But then a friend of hers posted underneath "That never happens to us! Did you water it????"
Just like that- with 3 question marks- "Did you water it???". I wanted to take those three question marks and beat that obnoxious person over the head with them.
Instead I just logged off. Big girl points for me.
Then yesterday another friend of mine posted a picture of some really cute homemade valentines that she and her daughter made. Someone commented "Wow. Who has the time?" And I wanted to comment underneath, "Well, she does. Obviously. She made the time. And there's nothing wrong with that, you rude RUDE insecure person!"
So, again, I log off. More big girl points.
Then I click on over to Pinterest, and I try so hard to just look at the pretty pictures but sometimes, sometimes I'll let some of the comments catch my eye and then I get sucked in. It's amazing what people will find to argue about on Pinterest. If someone puts up a pin of Tebow, you'll find a slew of mocking and derogatory comments from the Atheists. When someone puts up a pin of a tattoo, there's likely some preachy and judgmental comments from the Christians. Put up a pin of a fit girl, and you'll be lectured by the feminists about body image. Put up a humorous pin of a baby, and someone'll find something in it that is disturbing or offensive to them.
It's ridiculous. So I log off.
Then there's the blogs. If you ever want to weep for humanity, read through the comments on some of the most popular ones. You'll first be astonished at the variance of opinions a random sampling of society can have over the most mundane things, and then you'll be sad because you'll realize as you read through everyone arguing over why their point of view is right, that we'll never all get along. Our individuality may be the core of our existence, but it's also the bane of our existence.
I think we've all had that point in our lives when we realize that the public, in general, is just stupid. For me, it was when I was waitressing. (Nothing like pouring endless cups of Sanka for cranky old people in Palm Springs to teach a girl that lesson. Someday I'll write a post about it.) The thing is, we used to have to leave our houses and go out into the world to experience that stupidity. Nowadays, it's at our fingertips.
Anyway, I'm sure some of you as you've been reading this are thinking "Girl just needs to get off the internet. Sounds like she's on there too much." And you're right. Sometimes I am on too much. I know that when I start to feel like an irritated, snappish, ball of nerves that I've been in front of the computer too much. And you know how I get that way? Because I've been reading comments written by people who were also irritated, snappish, balls of nerves. I absorbed all their crappy energy. So I look over at my kids who are happily building some legos or running off to play at the park next door, and I know that that's the kind of energy I need.
And so then I log off.
Like, when a friend of mine posts something and I see a rude comment underneath by one of their friends. Here's an example that I've been carrying around for a few months: a friend of mine posted "This is the only bad part about having a live Christmas tree.", and then she posted a picture of the mess of pine needles left on her carpet. Funny, right? Because it's relatable to people- especially house fraus like me- who understand the annoyance of finding pokey little pine needles embedded in the carpet months after the holidays are over. But then a friend of hers posted underneath "That never happens to us! Did you water it????"
Just like that- with 3 question marks- "Did you water it???". I wanted to take those three question marks and beat that obnoxious person over the head with them.
Instead I just logged off. Big girl points for me.
Then yesterday another friend of mine posted a picture of some really cute homemade valentines that she and her daughter made. Someone commented "Wow. Who has the time?" And I wanted to comment underneath, "Well, she does. Obviously. She made the time. And there's nothing wrong with that, you rude RUDE insecure person!"
So, again, I log off. More big girl points.
Then I click on over to Pinterest, and I try so hard to just look at the pretty pictures but sometimes, sometimes I'll let some of the comments catch my eye and then I get sucked in. It's amazing what people will find to argue about on Pinterest. If someone puts up a pin of Tebow, you'll find a slew of mocking and derogatory comments from the Atheists. When someone puts up a pin of a tattoo, there's likely some preachy and judgmental comments from the Christians. Put up a pin of a fit girl, and you'll be lectured by the feminists about body image. Put up a humorous pin of a baby, and someone'll find something in it that is disturbing or offensive to them.
It's ridiculous. So I log off.
Then there's the blogs. If you ever want to weep for humanity, read through the comments on some of the most popular ones. You'll first be astonished at the variance of opinions a random sampling of society can have over the most mundane things, and then you'll be sad because you'll realize as you read through everyone arguing over why their point of view is right, that we'll never all get along. Our individuality may be the core of our existence, but it's also the bane of our existence.
I think we've all had that point in our lives when we realize that the public, in general, is just stupid. For me, it was when I was waitressing. (Nothing like pouring endless cups of Sanka for cranky old people in Palm Springs to teach a girl that lesson. Someday I'll write a post about it.) The thing is, we used to have to leave our houses and go out into the world to experience that stupidity. Nowadays, it's at our fingertips.
Anyway, I'm sure some of you as you've been reading this are thinking "Girl just needs to get off the internet. Sounds like she's on there too much." And you're right. Sometimes I am on too much. I know that when I start to feel like an irritated, snappish, ball of nerves that I've been in front of the computer too much. And you know how I get that way? Because I've been reading comments written by people who were also irritated, snappish, balls of nerves. I absorbed all their crappy energy. So I look over at my kids who are happily building some legos or running off to play at the park next door, and I know that that's the kind of energy I need.
And so then I log off.
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