A few months ago I found it upsetting that my own cousin unfriended me on Facebook because I commented on the guy that claimed the "rapture" was going to happen on a specific date and time. Being an evangelical Christian she was upset that it didn't happen. Being a non-believer I just couldn't buy it...
Why does this bother me? I mean who really cares about Facebook anyway. The deeper I thought about it the more I understood what my dad was saying all his life. "Never talk about politics or religion or get too deep in conversation with anyone." To some degree, he's right. If you speak your mind or opinion you take the risk that no one will like what you have to say and never talk to you again or attack you. But you also run the risk of gaining a close friendship.
My father always talked about "light" subjects such as tv, books or movies. It's probably the only reason he had a hundred people at his funeral. How many of those people would have shown up had they known what my dad really thought? Is it really any of their business what he really thought?
I'm learning that certain types of relationships have zero need to know about what we really think. Clients, co-workers, neighbors, grandma, or complete strangers? Nah... I've made the mistake of assuming that one slip up of an opinion that stirs a disagreement means you are out of the club, they don't like you anymore. I've come across very few people in my lifetime that can discuss disagreements, move on and still be friends.
I used to think it was intolerant to distance yourself from people you may not like but I'm starting to be aware that life is too short to be around miserable, unhappy people who love to criticize and be mean. You know those people you have to listen to their endless ramblings that you disagree with but are afraid to speak your opinion without fear of ridicule or argument. Yeah, I'm a non-confrontational personality... I would rather listen than argue.
So in turn I filtered through my Facebook page and blocked people that constantly post disrespectful and intolerant negative comments. If you spend all of your time with negativity you leave no time for the positive. As the Buddha says, "When your cup is full, there is no room for any more." Freeing up space in your life allows for the deeper more meaningful people to find you. Keep the "light" conversations for work.
Why does this bother me? I mean who really cares about Facebook anyway. The deeper I thought about it the more I understood what my dad was saying all his life. "Never talk about politics or religion or get too deep in conversation with anyone." To some degree, he's right. If you speak your mind or opinion you take the risk that no one will like what you have to say and never talk to you again or attack you. But you also run the risk of gaining a close friendship.
My father always talked about "light" subjects such as tv, books or movies. It's probably the only reason he had a hundred people at his funeral. How many of those people would have shown up had they known what my dad really thought? Is it really any of their business what he really thought?
I'm learning that certain types of relationships have zero need to know about what we really think. Clients, co-workers, neighbors, grandma, or complete strangers? Nah... I've made the mistake of assuming that one slip up of an opinion that stirs a disagreement means you are out of the club, they don't like you anymore. I've come across very few people in my lifetime that can discuss disagreements, move on and still be friends.
I used to think it was intolerant to distance yourself from people you may not like but I'm starting to be aware that life is too short to be around miserable, unhappy people who love to criticize and be mean. You know those people you have to listen to their endless ramblings that you disagree with but are afraid to speak your opinion without fear of ridicule or argument. Yeah, I'm a non-confrontational personality... I would rather listen than argue.
So in turn I filtered through my Facebook page and blocked people that constantly post disrespectful and intolerant negative comments. If you spend all of your time with negativity you leave no time for the positive. As the Buddha says, "When your cup is full, there is no room for any more." Freeing up space in your life allows for the deeper more meaningful people to find you. Keep the "light" conversations for work.
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