Something interesting happened the other day. I posted an article on my Facebook page and
within minutes a person who isn’t on my friends list commented that I was
ignorant, stupid and that I should check my facts. To be honest, I can’t even remember what the
post was about however I do remember the feelings his comment invoked.
The first was anger; not because he called me an ignorant
person but because he was so stupid and couldn’t even see the truth of what I
had posted. I immediately thought this
guy is obviously blinded by a closed mind and my view is so much more
enlightened and superior. Of course then
there was pity… well not real pity more like condescension. What a poor uneducated soul.
Then came the “how dare he!” It is my wall and he can’t come
on my page and say whatever he wants. If he doesn’t like what he reads he
should just scroll by as I do when I see something that I don’t agree
with. I don’t comment on other’s pages
that they are idiots. I might from time
to time have a different opinion and I will comment but without the
shaming. Everyone is entitled to their
opinion after all. If it turns into a spirited debate that’s good but you can’t
have a debate with someone who already thinks you are a fool.
My instinct for action fueled by my anger was to tell him
that he is the idiot and that his dumbass was stuck in the Dark Ages! I started to type feverishly and then I
stopped. I took a couple of deep breaths
and saw the whole interaction for what it was.
This guy had pressed my “Self-Righteous” button and I was allowing
myself to be triggered and drawn in. What a loss of energy!
I played out in my mind’s eye how it would go:
- I could make some snarky comment on his post
- Perhaps I could even post website links substantiating my point of view
- Other’s would jump on that to defend me or to shame me
- His friends would join in the fray and my page would become a place of name calling and vile
I realize was that he wasn’t there to have a healthy
debate. He had already shut down any
path to dialog. So I did what I should
have done the first second I read it. I
remembered that it was my page and that I hold the power. I deleted his post and carried on with my day…
Love & Light
