SOCIAL media is no longer a safe place for anyone. It's filled with rude, judgmental, and selfish people. It's also a very dangerous place to be in when you don't feel stable emotionally as it may trigger breakdowns.
Social media is like a dangerous neighborhood you don't want to raise your kids in. It was that part of town where uneducated kids lurk and whose pastime is to start chaos. It's the part of town our parents warned us about. And yet, we still spend hours and hours in social media, entertained by the chaos. Despite all that, we still wonder why we're depressed as a generation.
But in any problem we face, changes usually start with one's self. At the end of the day, we are still in control of how we consume social media content. Here are ways to prevent being the toxic user on social media.
1. You don't need to have a public opinion on everything
The direction of all social media discussions are steered by the users themselves. It cannot progress towards a certain direction without people fueling it.
Unfortunately, with the different levels of attention people are getting online, they also feel obligated to speak up on certain issues even without looking at different angles. As a result, this steers the issue towards an ugly direction.
As we all have freedom of speech, a wise social media user would put that into good, responsible use instead of just dropping opinions about everything. One should be aware of the consequences of their opinions posted online no matter how seemingly innocent these may be.
2. Remember that behind everyone you interact online is a human being.
You don't need to blatantly tell someone online that they're stupid or dumb, and that you wish them dead. It speaks about your character more than it does of the person you're talking to.
If you find yourself in an online debate/argument, the wisest way to do it is to stick to the topic on hand and to not resort to ad hominem. As defined by Oxford Dictionary, ad hominem is "(of an argument or reaction) directed against a person rather than the position they are maintaining.
Social media also becomes more toxic because we forget to be polite and respectful to the other person we're talking to, especially when they're strangers. We use words to insult and make them feel bad, in effect making us feel good about ourselves.
3. Educate yourself.
Do yourself a favor and read through important information related to the matter at hand before formulating your own opinion. Again, it speaks more about your character as a mature and responsible social media user. This is if you want to invest time and effort in reading through a certain issue.
However, if you just want to immediately be part of the discourse without doing your homework of background reading, then forget it. You're only going to post a shallow opinion that's not going to steer the discussion towards the desired direction.
Don't just share, think first. After all, you're a thinking human being capable of analysis. Use that to you and your community's advantage.
It's 2021. The best we can do to contribute to a healthier social media environment is to be more responsible.