When Will Social Media Be A Safe Place For Honest Discussion?

I got to tell you – I’m deeply discouraged and deflated by the trends in social media today. Bix tells me – write! Write a blog! Write the next Two Cents! I answer, what is the point?

The trends seem to be this – either you say nothing (even if you are saying something) because you don’t feel safe sharing your voice or opinion. Or you say something and you are applauded by those that agree with you fully and criticized (or ignored) by those who disagree with you entirely.

Every day, it seems, the news includes a story of someone’s or some company’s attempt at supporting a cause or social movement, and subsequently being attacked on both liberal and conservative sides of the fence. I’m also exhausted by the fact that these sides exist.

From Patricia Arquette at the Oscars to Starbucks and its new “Race Together” campaign, when will any person or company be able to get it right?

And I’m not the only one. I’m sharing this great piece, shared with me by another, that animates the phenomenon that exists within social media today – i.e., “thought germs” and how angry and polarizing thoughts spread. It is amusing and highly reflective of what is going on in our public forums today.

•    This Video Will Make You Angry

You can find criticism in anything and everything. That is easy. The trend in the social media world today is react to anything and everything from a place of criticism. I believe this trend silences and deflates – or enrages and further polarizes.

These are the questions I am asking myself often these days:

• How can we, as people and organizations working to make the world better in so many different ways, push to change social media to become a forum for honest, safe, and open dialogue?
• How can we avoid feeling deflated and silenced by the never-ending stream of criticism?
• How can we be self-reflective enough to be sure we are not contributing to the trend?

Please – let me know your thoughts. Don’t be silent –  unless you want to be – which, in this increasingly loud world full of chatter, I also value and understand.