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Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Hyperbolic Social Media

I see it all the time.  This really gets on my nerves.  Hyperbolic social media posts are a pet peeve of mine.  Whether it is in social media posts on Facebook or Twitter, or if it is an email newsletter or blog posting, it is all the same.

Recently I started out subscribing to a daily newsletter.  At first, the information seemed relevant and good.  As the days wore on, I began to notice a pattern.  Everything stated in the newsletter was over-the-top hyperbole.  This was from a well-respected leader in the new age world.

As time has continued, I noticed that some of the things this person wrote about are not 100% true.  Yes, they are using facts to make their statements, but the facts are so twisted you could make a hurricane out of a tornado.  Often by what they wrote, you could tell they truly didn't understand the facts they were presenting, but it did not stop them at all.


This happens so much.  I see sensational hyperbolic social media posts all the time.  Even the news media does this.  All of this stuff is pushing everyone's buttons to get them to click on the link and become enraged about whatever the subject is.  It isn't about informing anyone.  It is about, click on my link and give me a hit to my page or item so I'll be important.

There is far too much written in a day and published to the internet.  Far too many people believe the hyperbolic social media information that is purported to be the truth.  It is the scum of our civilization at the moment, because it is almost impossible to determine what is true and what is not.

What is even more harmful is how everyone just believes what is posted and they pass these things on and like them and share them without ever truly checking out to see if they are true.  So much of the hyperbolic social media posts don't pass the sniff test, but it doesn't stop people from forwarding it on to the entire world.

We need to stop and become a little more conscious about what we do in our day and what we pass on.  If you cannot prove it, then why send it on?  Is that not part of the problem?  Just doing a Google search and seeing multiple articles saying the same thing is not proof either.  It just means many are getting taken in by the same posting or article.

We've got to stop believing everything and start scrutinizing all that we see and read.  We're all too gullible.  The world deserves us to engage our mental truth meters, not succumb to every hyperbolic social media post and newsletter that comes our way.

On this blog, I try to write from what I experience.  I try very hard to not do that which I just wrote about.  In my social media postings, I try to only post or share or like that which I think I can prove and backup.  I may also falter from time to time, but if I do, it is generally an oversight.  If I find out I messed up, I'm usually quick to let everyone know.

Let's pledge together on this day to help do our part in making social media more accurate on our watch.  No, we can't make up for everyone out there, but maybe others will start following our example.  Let's add to the discussion in the world, not take away from it.





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Blog Post And Images (c) 8/4/15 by Don Shetterly

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