Facebook and Political Posts

Hello fellow facebookers! I have decided to take this time to write on a subject that has plagued me and many of you over the years it is a nasty little habit called political posting.

            I have been debating writing a blog about it as my last post (looking through my timeline) was on 1/8/15 (More recently if you consider begging for donations to keep up a political radio host going as posting). I remember that I had shared some such article about a point I was passionate about at the time. A friend of mine posted a lengthy rant showing their opposition. I had done research and had written up a nice rebuttal when I thought to myself “what is the point?” I then let the argument lay there and reconsidered my facebook behavior.
*I did share an additional article this month it goes to show you that like any addiction the fight is ongoing.

            I have quit many times before in the past under similar realizations but something inevitably drew me back into play again. This time I have developed new strategies that have worked so well for me that I have only had minor tempting when it comes to posting anything partisan political. I have now decided to post a blog entry about this subject starting witch what it is, motivations for doing so, my personal involvement and how I have been pulling away. I believe at this time there has been no better one to take the politics out of your facebook experience (and more importantly your facebook friend’s experience).

            What is political posting? Well in simple it is putting a political statement up on facebook. Typically the statement shows partisan bias and is something that is put up on your timeline for all to see. Inevitably there are three types of these postings: The Statement, the Share and the Drive By.

            The Statement is exactly what it is said to be a ‘statement’. This is not someone else’s article (unless you are into the plagiarism thing) it is your own thoughts put into words either through a blog or a simple facebook status update. These are probably the bravest of the posts as you are putting your own words and feelings out there to be judged by all who look. They can comment and tell you how stupid you really are or give you kudos in the form of a like or positive comment. These are best used by career politicians or pundits who know what they are doing.

            The Share is again exactly what it is said to be. You see an article or picture and you “Share” it with your timeline. You can even put a little comment with it like “see how right I am!”. The Share is a brave spot as it also puts you up for scrutiny and takes a little effort at least as it takes multiple clicks. This is where the majority of in fighting takes place. Someone shares something, someone with an opposing view comments and let the flame war begin.

            Lastly we have the Drive By. This is what happens when you see something that you think is cool and just hit like exposing the rest of us to your “joy”. This is the laziest and most cowardly method as it is also the most common. I say “lazy” as it only takes one click. I say “cowardly” as it does not allow for any response to the issue.

            Now that we know what political posting is lets go into motivations for doing so and why we these are not justified…unless you are a “news” source, pundit or politician and then pretty much everyone following you are friending you knows this is what you do anyway and is asking for it.

            The first motivation is what I like to call “informing the masses”. This is where you see something about a candidate or a law that you feel is worth a read from everyone on your friend list. This is the most innocent of the postings as you really don’t intend harm but enlightenment. If this is a reason you need to ask yourself if you are one of the excluded groups above. If you are not your friends are not on your timeline to read your political whimsies, they mainly wish to keep up with your general status and are occasionally amused by your shares. For every person you enlighten know that you probably have just as many people that you have annoyed in the process.

            The second I call the statement such as a “click like if you think Obama is a failure” pic or a “Support our troops bring em home” mem. This lets everyone on your timeline know where you stand. First off, I would think any friend of yours should know where you stand in the first place. Putting out a ridiculously bias or offensive mem isn’t going to do much more than get them silently applauding your or cursing you as they scroll through your timeline.

            The Angry Poster #1, is the person that reads a political article, becomes outraged and then must share that outrage with the world. Please save your anger for political rallies, protests or voting drives. Your energy is wasted here as all you are doing is making enemies and setting people off in a different fashion. Their anger isn’t likely being directed at the target intended if you know what I mean.

            The Angry Poster #2, is the area I tend to fall in the most. You scroll down your timeline and you see some offensive post that sets you off. You are left with no further alternative but to post 50 bias and offensive posts of your own in retaliation. There is no thought in this just raw emotion. I have had to work hard on this over the years as my temper has always been a large one and I realize I am only harming those that I love or at least sort of like.

            Lets look at the motivation angle from the reader of a political post. In the time I started doing political posting I would see a post that I disliked and I was left with only four options, first I could just simply leave facebook all together but this is helping no one and you really aren’t getting much satisfaction from this. Second is to post a comment, this is also a bad idea as it will either spark a flame war or is simply not an option (see Drive by). Third you could unfriend the person but I would think that unless this is one of those people that you accepted by accident when your were drunk (you know the night) there is a reason why you are friends with this person and it simply is not an option. Lastly you can fire back with political posts from your side (see Angry Poster #2).

            I have thought about it and really don’t feel that political posting has any place outside of the pundit or politician angle. There are only three types of people on facebook when you are posting: Those who have decided and will never change their mind, Those who are undecided but would prefer a valid source of information and those who do not care and are just annoyed by you.

            Now for my own experience I had started this up around 2008-2009 during the original campaign for president. I didn’t facebook often and didn’t care that much for it really. I had come across a mem posted of a monkey dressed up as the president with the caption “what’s the difference between obama and a monkey? The monkey has the smarts to know when his shit smells”. Now many of my conservative audience will probably chuckle but I of course was offended by the obviously vicious mem and started finding ones of my own to throw out. As the years passed I would back off for a while but then someone would post something equally as nasty on my wall and I would get back to it yet again. This is a vicious cycle that would culminate with me posting constantly throughout the week come to a realization I am wrong doing this and then me stopping cold turkey for a while. This last time I had actually been posting more casually as the Angry Poster #1 or as the individual “Informing the masses” as listed above but my last conversation hit a nerve that let me see the futility and stupidity of putting my energy into this activity. I feel that this is the key feeling to me getting away from posting.

            Now we have talked about why people post, what they post about and why it is a bad thing. Now I will talk about how I have been able to back off for a while and at least as of now I have a faint desire to do so but only because I want to help a favorite pundit get financial support though I have decided that it too is going too far and is too risky.

            Ignoring the evils: When I first made attempts at ignoring political posting it was very hard as many of my friends would post things I want to read (status updates, amusing articles and such) but them intermix them with terrible aggravating political posts. I used to look at where they were posting from and if it was a propaganda source I knew of I would simply try and let it slide by but then this too was hard to ignore. Facebook has made some advancement in the fight, they haven’t given me the “dislike” button which I feel would go a long way in this but they have done something almost as good. Instead of unfriending or totally ignoring the posts of a friend you now have the option of simply ignoring the propaganda source that they are posting from. This makes even the more rabid become tame and enjoyable again. With the evil being out of sight and the satisfaction of being able to remove the evil from your timeline without having to remove your friend this has at least for the time being healed me of being Angry Poster #2.

            Ignoring the good: I have to admit that posts from evil propaganda is not all that needs to be eliminated from your timeline. This includes going through all of the items that you liked or are following that are political as they also will occasionally show up on your timeline without you even making any effort (I recently realized that I had still liked Elizabeth Warren’s Senate page and had only unliked the person page). These will also put up articles that you may have an interest in but will encourage you to write or share which will drag you right back into the game.

            Getting Political info: I get my news and politics away from facebook. I go to a news sight, read the paper and listen to may favorite pundits over podcast or the radio. I don’t repost any political article as it takes an extra step when it is not on facebook and allows you to re-consider. You don’t have to drop your political side just don’t show your ass to your friends and relatives (or at least minimize it).

            Finally Put yourself in perspective: You are not a pundit, your are not a politician. If you want to be I say go for it! I have a few politicians that are friends of mine both on and off facebook and I tell you their political posting on their personal pages is typically minimal. Save the campaigning for the campaign trail, ,the rally or the protest. If you really feel you must do what you can on facebook set up a political page and present it to your friends to like or not to like and that way they are making a conscious choice and are not subjected.

            I hope that this has been an informative article. I am keeping the faith and realize that posting is an addiction so I allow for error and relapse now and again as I am not perfect. I know my friends have big mouths and will be glad to point out any of my mistakes (if for anything just to laugh at them).