Politics – an all invasive product

A post about politics and its place on social media

In the old days we would attend a political meeting or a discussion group to talk politics. We might buy a newspaper that reflected or challenged our views. We would know which of our friends were interested in political discussion and engage with them.

Now politics is ubiquitous. News readers laminate ‘events’ with opinions, forcing us to engage in choices. Today, hour after hour of public broadcasting has been devoted to everyone’s views of an unelected political adviser with a four year old, who may or may not have transgressed a pandemic.

The point of this post is in relation to our political views on social media rather than politics itself, which has an invaluable place in social decision making and the running of our country. Should we use our space on social media to advance our political views on every topic, and if so, might there be merit in providing just a little more focus for it?

My concern is in relation to my ‘friends’. Unlike some on social media, I have personal or strategic relationships with many of them, and a fondness for most. But do I want to read their stream of political views?

It has to be remembered that one person’s genuine view or commitment may be another person’s anathema. Friends make lasting friendships based on understanding and compromise – sometimes in the knowledge that our friend cannot or does not wish to engage on a topic. In the real world of face-to-face discussion, we respect that, move on, or move away. Yet there is no such filter when it comes to social media. We receive friends’ views into our kitchen, living room or study whether we want them or not.

Social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter do allow us to filter what we receive using the ‘unfollow’ button. But do I really want to delete my friends?

Today I found myself removing some friends from access to my life. I did this not out of prejudice or indifference to their opinions or obsessions, but being simply worn out by their ubiquitous politics. I needed to screen myself from the battering. In doing so, I simultaneously removed myself from many who, but for their political chatter, I hold dear.

Perhaps now is the time for us all to examine and explore what we post, and when and where we should opine? Should we confine our political views to blogs such as this which can be opened or followed by choice, or single topic political social media groups where it is understood that people will express diverse opinions?

In the meantime, I say farewell to those of my friends who feel that I need a constant diet of their political views. But, when you have read this (if ever you do) let me know when my social space is not your political forum, and I will re-embrace you as valuable to my life.

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