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Saturday, November 3, 2012

The Unhappy Hypocrite


I'm in speech teacher mode again today.  I've taken great pains to avoid being "political" during this election season.  My day to day of world of carting kids and dance class and work and church and whatever else comes my way is filled with people from all across the political spectrum.  I am sure many of us have very strong beliefs and very opposing beliefs, but when you're talking about ear infections and birthday parties and course scheduling, it doesn't really matter.
However, I've been biting my tongue on how political discourse and interpersonal communication are not playing well with each other.  With the election only a few days away, my tongue is practically bleeding, so it's time to let it wag.
Throughout the election season, the role of social networking has been undeniable.  A while back, I talked about using fact checking before forwarding or re-posting ideas, and it goes beyond that.  I love social networking for its ability to keep me connected to people with whom I might otherwise lose touch, but as a means of discussing politics with friends, it sucks.  I'm going to talk about two negative effects.