Having not understood the power of the hashtags that resonate on the inter-sphere it took me awhile to grasp the usefulness of said hashtags.
Every Twitter handle, social media username, online profile is seeking to be recognized in some way. Many have been eager to expose themselves to the anonymous nature of the interactions found online. We have all heard stories about the predators and charlatans that lurk there. This is not about them. It is about you and what you have put out on the internet. There is no expiration date on anything you have posted. Whether or not you have deleted items they live on like the half-life of nuclear radiation.
Maintaining a profile online that stands for who you are can be a dangerous situation, however without a strong stance for your beliefs you are merely an empty voice that spouts platitudes and reposts drivel that may or may not be truthful. “I saw it on the internet so it must be true” is a mocking sentiment that is often said by useful idiots. If you subscribe to that platitude stop reading, there is no hope for you.
I am not saying that you should not enjoy your social media experience. Used judiciously social platforms can be fun and informative. You can interact with likeminded folks, neighborhood groups of moms, dads, sports teams, academics or professionals that are to your liking. Kids and kittens are always good to touch a heart string or two. GIFs are great substitutes to the written word even if it is written in online slang or abbreviations. That is the bright side, but rest assured there are trolls and a whole army of woke warriors ready to pounce.
A good hashtag can anchor your sentiments, your point of view and often your opinion.
Cancel culture seems to be reaching new heights of laughability and nonsense. For a word, a relationship, a passing phase, or action you can be attacked, ridiculed, and brought low by the thousands of internet trolls who lurk for a chance to be more woke than the rest of the herd.
Schools names are no longer safe and may be changed because of the smallest step outside the woke lines no matter that was as far back as the beginning of the earth and that is a very long time. Iconic persons are attacked. Abraham Lincoln allegedly did not care about blacks; I am still trying to understand why Senator Diane Feinstein’s name is also offensive. No one is untouchable from the onslaught. Celebrities, politicians, CEOs and their companies are fodder for the cancel machine.
There are too many absurd claims of upsetment, offense or PC violations to list them all. Suffice it to say it has gone too far too fast.
I propose that the appropriate response to each and every lame cancel attempt or woke attack is the all encompassing hashtag….. #SoWhat. If enough people develop a backbone and stand their ground the steam will be taken out of the whole movement. No need to add commentary, merely respond #SoWhat.
You can develop your own meaningful hashtag, but in the world of hashtags the more people using the same tag the higher up the “trending” will be.
That’s right…..#SoWhat.
Comments