I’ve come close to abandoning social media altogether. All the hate spewing out on Face Book, Twitter, and “News” sources. Everyone has an opinion, and, like their assholes, are spewing shit everywhere, smelling up everything in their path and splashing on my shoes. With no filter or consideration for anyone else. I’m no innocent bystander. I’ve been caught up in it, offering my two cents when it was best left unsaid. Unlike some out there, I at least have SOME introspection. At least that’s what I tell myself.
It’s the lure of social media. A world-wide audience heretofore unavailable to so many of the unheard masses. I was/am one of those. Some of it is great. But more is not. Much more. The Cheesing of America. Too much exposure to “reality” television. The Bachelor, Honey Boo Boo, cage fighting, Survivor, My Big, Fat, Hoarding, Tiny House Remodel. Far too many people are tuning into that instead of reading a book, simply being quiet and listening. Or just getting off their sofa and moving around. The networks pander to the lowest demographic because of an increase in their viewership and ad selling time.
I’ve hesitated before hitting the “Post” button on my Instagram posts for the past few weeks. As an artist, I want to share some thought with an image. Most often a high-contrast, stylized, post-production photo taken with my iPhone using an app with a witty (my opinion) one-liner that’s either self-deprecating, an observation or a comment on my “style”. My hesitation is not that I think my image isn’t good enough to share, but whether it needs to be shared at all. Just on more pithy piece cluttering up Instagram and Twitter. Or this blog post, for that matter. Not that anyone is listening. I’m just adding to all the noise, like too many people talking at the same time.