29 Aug 2019

And Your Intent Is?

The theme of this blog may not leave you feeling warm and fuzzy after reading it, but hopefully it will cause you to stop and think, and maybe even consider your actions and reactions.

In an ideal world, I would love to turn on the news and learn that there have been no murders. Yes, I do know that would catapult us all into a state of euphoria – or at least it should! But since that will probably never happen, the very least we can do is to do our best to treat our fellow man with kindness and respect them for who God created them to be. Because we were all created equally, we are granted the liberty to express our individuality. Unfortunately, that individuality creates a lot of misunderstanding, resentment, and lack of respect.

In a world that promotes freedom of expression, oftentimes it’s taken too far. I must admit I do not consider myself to be at the “head of the class” when it comes to being technology savvy, but I am not illiterate either. There are times when I log onto Facebook and wonder why that seems to be the primary platform for people to vent and rant about what is on their mind. Was this really the intent for those who created the social mediums i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.? These mediums have certainly been successful when used to disperse positive information, but all too often it is to the contrary. It is not uncommon, in fact it is very common for someone to post a controversial opinion or subject, and before you know it that one post has set off a firestorm of controversy and negativity. You are left to make the assumption that the post or statement made was expressly intended to generate a reaction. So instead of not taking the “bait”, we fall into the trap and the online feud is on! Unfortunately, the President of the United States daily makes Twitter his preferred choice of communication to spew whatever comes to his mind – be it positive or negative! What example is America’s highest official setting before our children and youth of today?

I recognize that technology, the electronic age, and social media will continue to advance forward – as it should. However, it seems the more advanced technology becomes, the less socialized mankind becomes. It almost makes you wonder will we eventually return to the “cave man” days when humans didn’t verbally communicate at all. They communicated through looks, expressions, and solved their disputes violently! Hmm, something about that is frighteningly familiar! It might be wise to consider if I can’t express my thoughts and opinions face to face in a civil manner, are we not then hiding behind the veil of technology. In closing, I believe it is important that we examine the intent of our actions, and honestly consider what reaction we are looking for. Foresight might just serve better than hindsight!

Source: First Lady Denise