Online or off – June looks to be busy!

Hi neighbors. I’m enjoying the cooler air today (Thursday morning) after last night’s rain. Tonight I hope to go with my friend Doris to Music on the Square and watch Matthew Harper perform.

The first full week of June, Bushwhacker Days will be going on and followed by Flag Day on the 14th and then Father’s Day on the 17th. Although it feels like we’ve been in the middle of summer all of May, summer doesn’t officially start until June 21. I don’t see how it can get much hotter though.

Things are always heating up on social media no matter what the season. I’ll admit to debating whether or not to even remain on Twitter and Facebook. Twitter, in particular, is a little like hopping from one tiny iceberg to another in a freezing sea in the dark. (I saw that in some old silent movie and can’t remember now which one it was, but it sticks in my mind as the best visual of utter desperation.)

I started Twitter when the television show Penny Dreadful was on and had live tweets with the actors and directors as the show aired for background on the filming of it. I think now I should have just stopped Twitter when Penny Dreadful stopped.

Through Twitter I’ve found that lately it is less for communications between people from different countries, religions and careers and more for soapbox politics and outraged complainers about any and all topics. When any topic comes up that makes disputes and name calling thrive I usually just ignore the website in hope that all will eventually calm down and get back to common ground discussions.

Twitter has such potential for people around the world to discuss not only their differences but their commonality. Unfortunately, I see less and less of that and I find it very disturbing and even discouraging and depressing. Sometimes I’m reminded of a crowded box of newly hatched chicks. If one gets an injury the others will peck it to death.

Often I can see opinions moving like a wave of hate across an area of social opinion. Virtual mobs are formed and often follow whoever tweets the most often and shows the most emotional response to what everyone is saying. The bad thing is virtual judgments are made with no actual connection to the person or thing being judged. The lack of balanced opinions seems obvious to the casual reader, but those caught in the fray of battle seem ignorant or at least indifferent to any balance at all.

I just hope we are never governed by opinion polls and opinions offered by invisible loudmouths.

I have met some very dear friends on both Twitter and Facebook; mostly women I share some interests with. Most of these shared interests are family related (grandchildren, school schedules around the globe, etc.) but I also have ‘friends’ I know less about who share interests in careers and hobbies like writing and photography.

Facebook seems more user-friendly and is a great way to keep in touch with family. Snapshots of family sports, school events and birthdays, weddings, etc. is a great way to keep a digital photo album up-to-date. But Facebook also has privacy problems.

Both Twitter and Facebook, and even email and any search engine, have privacy issues. As a matter of fact, if you have wifi in your home (and who doesn’t these days) your private information may be exposed to hackers 24/7.

Of course, your private information doesn’t have to be ‘stolen’ when there are those who collect and sell private information on as many people as they can. Although there are many great ‘guards’ for home computers, there are always people out there trying to get past them. Hackers are a bit like termites; you don’t realize they are even there, eating away at your security until your house falls in around you.

Please be aware of who and what can be circling around your computers’, cell phones and other devices looking for a way through your defenses.

I hate to be the one shouting out warnings of doom and gloom (blame it on social media exposure). But be aware that having a hotline to the worldwide, online community might not be such a good thing. Keep your balance, keep your opinions to yourself and be more confident when pushing that off button.

And sometimes, just be grateful for a small town that still offers some music on the square with real people you know in the audience.