So much has been going on in the world that it's been hard to be blogless (new word alert). In this world of instant comments, blogs, twitter and social media, it's as if everyone who has an opinion can now give their assumptions, biases and knowledge on the public even if we didn't want it. There are times when I'm reading the comments to a news story where the comments are like watching a car wreck. I find myself glued to the endless amounts of sarcasm, witty barbs and insults thrown back and forth from strangers with smiling (okay, not always smiling) icon faces or names that represent some political ideology (teapartyxxo). And while I rarely comment on news stories or get into arguments with random Facebook users, I did respond to someone's comments about teachers recently that revealed to me my own biases and ideology. Most of the time I watch and observe, a quality I've refined over the years, lives and opinions scroll down my computer screen and wonder where people form their ideas.
The most fervent of opinions are those found by Christians, or at least they purport to be Christians in the way they use scripture and those ever familiar Christian clichés that warrant responses upon responses. I follow Christian conservative organizations on Facebook, like the American Family Association, where ever post is shared and multiplied and commented on from atheists and Christians alike. Remember whey Chic-fil-A was coming under fire months ago for the comments by its owner (who, ironically I've read has just passed away) on traditional marriage? Every comment was someone quoting some random passage from Leviticus to fire and brimstone passages about sinners and repenting before the Lord. I mean, if you're going to post Leviticus as your argument of why you're mad at God, you're going to really try harder to get my goat. On the flip side, an all caps tirade about going to hell is not going to convert anyone to want to see Heaven either. I've felt that there is no middle ground anymore. Like the shrinking middle class, there is no room for fence-straddlers like me, who like observing and forming their own opinion based on the evidence of the situation. While I'm guilty of harshly judging someone based on their looks or situation, I comment as much as I used to.
Part of this is that nowadays, you're not allowed to have a vocal opinion if you are a teacher or someone in public office. If I ranted and complained about my students on Facebook or twitter, it's likely to be found by someone and the ramifications could be harmful to my career. As someone whose Christianity is forming my reactions, I don't plan on ranting and raving about my school or district anytime soon. Yes, I do complain (just ask my wife) but sometimes having the right to spout off doesn't always mean you should.
Luckily, I didn't have social media as a teenager. I remember that the most damaging thing we could do with our mouths besides gossiping was passing around notebooks where you could answer anonymously about other kids in junior high. The notebook, who knows what they were called, were dangerous in the eyes of the teachers and administrators. While we had fun commenting about girls' bra size and making lewd comments (sometimes with visuals!) and dreaming of people we were crushing on, our words only fueled the flames of low self esteem among the girls in the school, and to a different extent, the guys too. One kid got suspended for making one back in 8th grade and suddenly it wasn't cool anymore. We all went back to hushed hallway conversations. Gossip wasn't in writing.
My life has formed my ideas and biases too. I was raised in an opinionated family. My grandma sure had them. On African-Americans, on the wives her sons married, on how my mom was raising me too. My mom, while not gossipy or back-biting, had her way of building my self-esteem, even in its lowest depths. I could always count on being introduced to strangers feeling like a king, and being expected to have an adult conversation. It was training for life. My dads were more low key. Walk humbly and don't carry a big stick. While my step-dad and father were not necessarily meek men, they weren't necessarily pillars of intimidation either. It was always the opposite of the women in my life. Go with the flow. Don't make waves. No need to get into an argument when silent aggressiveness was so much better. My grandmother Cordova would have thrived in this new environment of social media awareness, but she was born two generations too soon. I could have seen her walking the picket lines with teachers, claiming proudly her heritage, injecting truth into every conversation.
Sadly, that's not the case much anymore. There isn't much civility in message boards. Language is becoming more foul. If you don't agree with a certain mindset, you are labeled a bigot, homophobe, sinner, troll or something far worse. Thoughts give way to rights. We are beholden to our opinions as if they matter in the grand scheme. Changing hearts or minds requires conversation, requires a sense of humility and an ability to listen. I think the next few blogs will be about current events and how they are shaping my perceptions. I don't feel the need to be right more than I feel the need to admit I'm wrong. I've been questioning the loyalties of my views. The world demands that we all listen just a bit harder. Pull up a chair if you're willing. I'd love to talk back and forth. In honor of my grandma, she'd love the conversation even if we didn't agree or see eye to eye. We owe ourselves at least that much.
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