Rules for Political Social Media Rants

Politics. The word actually means the art or science of government. However, most of the time what we refer to as politics is actually propaganda, which is the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person.

In the age of social media, Politics has actually gotten more interesting as the propaganda has become more widespread.

If you know me well, you know my political views and know that I am fascinated by politics. Hence, this is why I was a Political Science major with a concentration in Political Psychology. I am very interested in why certain people vote the way they do and why each person believes in different ideals.

With that being said, I am saddened by the way Social Media has "dumbed down" the exchange of political ideas. From the start of the RNC to the end of DNC logging into Facebook has become painful. It became obvious who only watched the speeches from "their side." It is clear who has an open mind and who just wants to repeat catch lines until everyone taps out as they are held in a submission hold.

I think it is great when people participate in our system, because that is the foundation of our government. However, it is important that we move forward educating ourselves on issues and ideals and that we are not bullied into supporting candidates and parties. Therefore, I wanted to provide everyone with a list of rules that I believe should be followed when sharing your political beliefs on social media.

1.      Please correctly use the word "ignorant" instead of just being ignorant. The definition of ignorant is lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified. Often I see political rants claiming that you are ignorant if you vote X or Y. Although an ignorant person may be voting that way, it is not the only reason why someone would make that choice. Possibly the individual that is making that decision based on their personal beliefs. It IS ignorant to be so egocentric to think that your way is the only way. One of the many great things about this country is that we can all express opinions of how we think things should be handled. If someone doesn't agree with you, it does not necessarily mean they are not informed.

2.      Be careful not to assume that you know why I make the decisions I do. If someone votes for an African American candidate that does not mean they are not a racist deep down. On the other side, if someone chooses not to vote for a Jewish candidate, it does not automatically make the voter an anti-Semite. In fact, voting FOR a candidate just because of their race, religion, ethnicity, etc. is just as offensive, ignorant and racist as not voting for someone because of the same factor. In the same category, acknowledge that there is more than one issue we deal with as a nation. So, if someone supports a candidate who is for more gun control, do not assume that the voter is. If a person supports a candidate who is Prolife in all circumstances, that person could be Prochoice. When picking a candidate there are many factors to consider. If there is one issue is that important to you, maybe you vote on one issue. However the majority of voters do look at variety of issues and votes for the candidate who they think will do the best for the country/state/locality.

3.      Research facts before you repeat them. I think in the past 5 years we have all learned to check snopes.com before passing along that email about a lost child. Well, campaign ads, campaign speeches, tweets, Facebook posts, etc. should not be blindly repeated as well. Watching both conventions there were statements made that may have been true in the context they were said, but were cleverly said to imply something untrue. The candidates know how the average person is going to hear what they said (different from the 100% truth) and repeat it.

4.      Don't be a Bully. So many of the posts I have read are angry and commanding. A good exchange of ideas can be educational and eye-opening. It is obnoxious to try and force your views onto others. Additionally, you are cheating yourself out of listening to another point of view that may alter your perspective. Part of our country's core values revolve around everyone thinking for themselves and not being told what to believe. I may not agree with you, but I like to hear how someone else looks at it. However, if you yell at me and try to belittle my thoughts, I have zero interest in trying to see it your way.

5.      It is not a Sporting Event. Remember that this is not just a run for office; it is about running the country/state/locality. It is not about being on the winning team or supporting who you think is going to win. I love good smack talk about sports and blindly support my teams. However, this is real life with real consequences. Ask yourself what has that person done or what will they do. Ask yourself how the candidates stand on the issues and how that relates to what you think is best for the country.