So, what exactly makes me think that it's "im14" material is that the basis of my reasoning could be reduced to "social media was supposed to bring us closer, but all it did was disconnect us from each other".
What i mean to say is that with the advent of social media, we were re-connected with people that we would never really benefit from being connected to again.
I'm not like balls-in on the Myers-Briggs thing, but I do put a fair bit of weight into it. Per my own reading, the notion that people are what is hurting me is counter-intuitive. Really, the basis of my M-B category, the idea of dismissing the voices around me goes against who I am...
Then I thought more about the voices that were loudest...do I value giving the people who I don't agree with a chance to voice their views and thoughts? Yes. Do I try my best to consider every argument and opinion around me? Yes. Do I place value in compromising with those who I may not agree with, but can find reasonable solutions with? Yes.
The more I tried to reason with people who didn't agree with me, the more I learned that people like me are the only ones that are compromising. People like me are the only ones willing to try and reason/compromise with the people who disagreed with me. I make all the concessions for the sake of...what? To stop the shouting?
To finish this bluntly, yes it's entirely political. I have had decent, healthy conversations with super conservative people who really are open to progressive ideas if you give them a chance to voice why they're hesitant to accept them. Those discussions have happened only in person. All the of the nasty discussions were entirely online. Even at the conclusion of an argument with an apparently prominent conservative talk-radio personality from my city, I left him without a response.
I don't mean to say that I'm some master debater (lol). I am far, far, far from a logical personality type. That doesn't mean I'm able to see things outside the lens/scope of logic. Even my dumb librul self was able to really talk it down to a simple "wtfru really trying to accomplish?" and got crickets.
But whatever, I'm fuckin ripped right now. The entire basis my guiding compass is pretty simple: 1) you are the master of your own body. What you do with it is your business; 2) humans, at the most basal level, are all equal until the individual demonstrates they don't deserve to be treated fairly; 3) humans are the most capable species on Earth and thus have a responsibility to the life on our planet; 4) humans are the most destructive species on Earth and thus have a responsibility to take care of the planet we live on.
So. I'm gonna have another beer. I'm not sorry for laying all my principles out here. Whatever, man. A lot of the people who "oppose me" would be flabbergasted to learn more about me and my experiences.
Oof. This got really fucking long for no reason at all. I'm not directing my anger at you. It's just this whole fucking thing...so much shit I see happening in our (US) culture that stems pretty heavily from social media.