Facebook is fun because it allows you to contact your "friends" at any time no matter how far the geographical and time differences. It may or may not be fun, however, when political differences show up. Especially when those on opposing political sides resort to name calling.
Of late, I've been called a "freaking idiot" and a "breeder slave" by such "friends", while another has questioned my intelligence and the quality of one of the colleges from which I hold a degree. I've simply provided facts and arguments to contest their falty, mis-informed opinions.
So what's up with that? If these people really believed their points of view are correct, why not just put forth facts? Perhaps it is because there are no coherent facts to dispute my opinions or to support theirs.
You may say, why get into these sorts of discussions with these people. I say, because it's fun. We often hung out in the philosophy and poly sci departments of the above mentioned university and we sat around nearby pubs talking about issues. At that time, however, I was also of the liberal persuasion. It wasn't until getting jolted into the real world that I realized the error of my ways.
So here is an example of some of the recent dialog.
Friend #1 took the political ideology quiz with the result of Moderately Liberal. Here is some of the comment dialog which followed.
Friend 2: "Moderately? Wimp! " (kidding with him of course.)
Me: "Commie" (also kidding).
Friend 1: "Beats being a fascist any day."
Me: "Same thing."
Friend 2: "I know **SU was a crap school, but jeez!"
Me: "Yeah Friend 2, you're right about that. The thing is, I've overcome the brainwashing I received at **SU. Although communists profess to have high ideals, in practice the same as the fascists where the state has all the rights and the individual has none."
Friend 1: "You mean like the right to decide who controls their uterus?"
Me: "The right to decide who lives and dies. The productive can live because they're valuable to the state. Those who can't produce - very young, very old or sick can just be eliminated."
Friend 1: "So long as they can afford insurance?" At the time I didn't realize that he was trying to trick me up here. It didn't work though because my ideology is consistent.
Me: "Sad thing when human life is only valuable when you can afford insurance. Just remember that you and your loved ones were embryos once. Maybe one day you'll be old and/or sick."
Friend 1: "Yeah, that's why I don't vote republican. They only feel the people who can afford insurance deserve health care. And they want to turn women such as yourself into breeder slaves."
Me: "When they would be so much more valuable to the state as factory slaves.... and to women hating men as sex slaves without responsibility or consequences."
OK, looking back at it, I probably had it coming. Sure, I was right, but maybe I was a little harsh in my comments. I'm probably shocking some of my friends who can't imagine me being so argumentative and saying and listening to some of those things.
It's just that I haven't really argued with an intelligent liberal in a long time, and I find it to be fun. A sport I suppose - more fun than wrestling or football. It's also enlightening and helps me to grow in knowledge and gain confidence in my point of view. If I have friends like that, I can stand up to any enemy I suppose.
As soon as I finished writing the last comment I received a phone call from my wonderful husband who is out working to support his family. I immediately told him how much I love him for being a real man who respects women and loves and takes care of his family.
At first glance it appears as if some of my old friends are in the same place that we all were 20+ years ago. I may be wrong about that though because I haven't really had enough communication to discover if its actually true. I do know that I have changed and grown alot since then, through the grace of God, of course, and for which I am thankful every day.
I do think I'm going to have to cut down on making these sorts of comments on Facebook though. It's taking up way to much of my time and energy.
How did I miss this exchange? It is a bit difficult when you reconnect with people from the past and they have taken a completely different path or perhaps we have changed too. I like FB, but sometimes it saddens me to see where people's beliefs and lives have taken them. Kudos for standing up for your beliefs. If I had read your comments I would have added a "Go Girl" or "Like this" :-)
Posted by: Marjorie | May 02, 2009 at 09:43 PM
i know what you mean about "old friends" being *stuck* where they were. and since i'm not *really* friends with most of my fb "friends" it doesn't bother me to speak my mind either. although i don't do so in an intelligent way!
Posted by: shelly | May 03, 2009 at 09:01 AM