facebook Archives - Revolutionary Misfit

I believe Facebook, other social media as well, but predominantly Facebook, has the potential for great societal benefit…

Why?

Because it’s a convenient location for important discussions to take place…

Discussions that can lead to action and change.

But…and this is a really big BUT…for that to happen we need to be less combative, and hyper-critical, in the way we participate, IMHO.

Instead, most discussions rapidly devolve into cyber-shouting matches in a vain attempt to try to prove the rightness of one’s position over another’s.

That can be fun, in as much as it’s fun to degrade other human beings, but it rarely leads to any solutions, or even good ideas.

I believe that our world-views can handicap us in this effort.

That is, if your world-view is predominantly an exclusive one.

One that doesn’t leave room in the world for any other.

World-views that are religiously based tend to be that way.

Highly polarized political ones tend to be as well.

Maybe it’s a good idea to shun religious and political party affiliation altogether for the good of humanity?

Because no one is always right and to affiliate yourself with a particular religion or political party seems all too often tantamount to closed-mindedness.

When the fact is that the more you’re convinced that your position is the only possible correct one, the more likely it is that you’re dead wrong.

As soon as words like Republican, Democrat, Liberal, Conservative, Progressive, Socialist, Christian, Muslim, and others of that ilk are unleashed…

the prospect for a meaningful discussion usually goes dramatically down…

It’s an inverse relationship.

Could it be possible to have a conversation without bringing any of that shit up?

I believe it can.

I can talk about a particular viewpoint as being either good or bad, in my opinion, without giving it any label…can’t I?

I was struck by insight one day, from who knows where, and it led me to this world-view that’s been my consistent guide for some time now, and it helps me to be, well, consistent…and open-minded.

Actually, I believe it was a gradual process, but I can pinpoint a particular moment when it all sort of jelled.

I call it Impact Mindfulness.

I’m particular fond of it because it’s fairly agnostic and apolitical.

It allows me to saunter into discussions without the temptation to immediately begin throwing grenades that polarize upon detonation.

I’m guided by the idea that people and planet will be better off if we believe and act on three simple ideas…

that it’s best to prioritize impact (that is, the positive impact we can have for people and planet via our actions and inactions) over our self-interest…and in particular, our economic self-interest…
that it’s best to embrace the idea of the Big US, or the one where every argument presupposes that we’re all on this planetary ship together, since that is, indeed, a fact…
and that it’s best to take off impact blinders, such as political and religious affiliation, in order to see a bigger and more objective picture.

Am I patting myself on the back for breaking new philosophical ground with this?

No, of course not. I’m not by any means smart enough to accomplish such a feat.

All these ideas have been around…

Many label them as progressive…

But, you know, I don’t recoil at that label…as I truly believe progress is a good thing.

And I’d like to see more Facebook discussions that are progressive leaning and less that are partisan posturing and hyper-critical…

That is, discussions driven towards the end of progress for all, rather than towards elevation of ego via proving one’s rightness, or righteousness.

Proving yourself the smartest guy or gal on the Facebook wall doesn’t make the wall any smarter…or better off. Tweet it Out!

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I really believe that social networks, of which Facebook certainly dominates, can be great sources of social change.

A place where consensus can be found to solve the many problems faced by people and planet.

However, all too often what I will herein denote as “Facebook debates” tend to devolve into childish insult trading among the comments of the parties on opposite sides of the issue under discussion.

It’s as if each thinks that he or she can win the debate simply by being more offensive than the other.

That really doesn’t work.

I mean, what’s the real purpose of a debate?

Is it to demean your opponent?

Is it to make yourself appear more clever than your opponent?

I would say that the answer to those questions is NO, even though that tends to be the way we gauge the winners and losers of the televised political debates we’re accustomed to.

If you can just get that one-line zinger in that really causes your opponent to sweat a bit harder, like Bentsen did to Quayle back in 98, then we’ve got a winner.

I’m going to suggest a different tactic for how to win a Facebook debate, or any other, for that matter…

When I put forth a position in a debate, or a simple Facebook discussion, in the form of a solution to the issue at hand, or the problem posed, I then want to support my position in a way that causes the other side to accept or agree with it.

If I can do that, well, then I’ve won.

But what if the other side to the debate is so ideologically entrenched that getting him or her to agree on anything, even the most obvious point, seems impossible?

In that case, perhaps you can initiate the idea for some common ground that will move the other side closer to a mutually acceptable solution, idea, or position.

Because when it comes right down to it, we’re not all that different in our basic needs and desires as humans, are we?

The purpose of the debate should be, even though it rarely is, to move forward towards a solution…

No?

Simply playing a game of one-upmanship doesn’t accomplish that.

I believe that’s why those political debates are worthless…

It’s never about solutions. It’s a media-driven show to prove one candidate the winner, not because of the higher quality of his ideas, but because he’s somehow able to demean the stature of the other fellow.

That might help you popularity-wise, and maybe even vote-wise, but it doesn’t move society forward one iota.

The same goes for these Facebook comment back and forth’s that all too often degenerate into “dissing” matches…

Now, granted, there are some out there who’ve perfected the art of the insult, or the offensive comeback. I don’t know who invented the term “libtard”, but it’s pretty clever, in a sophomoric way.

Being offensive doesn’t make you a good debater, nor does it prove that your ideas, if you actually possess any, have merit.

And it certainly doesn’t produce solutions…it just moves the parties further apart.

So, my suggestion is this, “can” the insults and show us your ideas…

New Facebook Debate Rule: Ideologies and the ideas they degenerate are fair game…people are not. Tweet It Out

Of course, complying will require an activity that perhaps we could all stand to engage in a bit more…

It’s called thinking.

If that was an insult…well, then I apologize.

I’m simply suggesting an alternative to the normally venomous political diatribes masquerading around social media under the guise of “debates.”

image credit: claireteat via Compfight cc

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