A guide on how to be civil (the short version)
February 13, 2010
So, like many people, I have a few accounts on social networking sites. On one I play a few games – nothing huge. Something to pass the time when I am looking for something mindless to do. I have been completely stunned by the judgemental, almost vitriolic responses of other adults towards these sites. Groups popping up “I don’t care about your farm, mafia or cooking”, “I’m a nice person, I don’t ask you to join groups or send out invites”, a friend telling me that her spouse played “childish games so she didn’t understand why I had to.” People finding the time/need to join such groups and/or taking their time to spout off to me personally via text (never phone), e-mail that it was “just fun.”. News flash: it’s rude and childish. Here is a brief listing of why people may/may not play games:
1) They are laid up with an illness and have time on their hands and are bored.
2) They are unemployed and looking for something to do.
3) It’s fun. It’s a distraction while a sporting event is on or the kids are at ball practice.
4) They are adults and simply want to play a harmless game.
There is enough pure hatred over REAL issues: race, sexual orientation, health care and the list goes on that if you feel compelled to join such a site, think. Do you *really* need to let everybody know? What you are, in essence, is saying to a friend, there is something you do in innocent fun about you that I don’t like. It speaks volumes about you. On one popular networking site, you can block all game feeds. If you don’t want to read something, don’t read it. Many people ignore things that annoy them about social networking sites (like celebrity look alike posts, love for your spouse sites – especially those of us who don’t have that right extended to us in all states, your favorite vegetable, etc) and don’t feel the need to create and join groups. Why? We realize it’s in good fun.
It’s like saying please and thank you. Of course, those are also in short supply. But that seems to be an advanced lesson.
