The Social Media Vortex — The War Isn’t Online
It’s easy to hop online and complain about the state of our society, governments, cities, and communities. People are angry and tired of the seemingly never-ending breakdown of our values and democratic “freedoms”. It’s human nature to want to connect with others and discuss and vent our frustrations. Besides, the best way to spread information is through social media platforms. These digital spaces have become our communities, for better and for worse. But are we really fighting for freedom by posting a 60-second reel on Instagram several times per week? It’s a means to start the conversation and educate others, but it won’t change how the world operates. We actually have to do something other than flapping our gums and giving our followers lectures via soundbites.
Before we had these evil devices we call cell phones, we had neighborhoods and physical communities. We would participate in social gatherings and attend town halls. That’s how things got done; not by preaching to the choir that follows you and hoping someone else will do something about it. I can’t count how many times I’ve read the comment “When are we going to do something about it?!” followed by a thread of complaints and futile replies. The thing is that many of us don’t know how to do anything about it, with most feeling powerless against the monolith that is the elite globalist state. I mean there is also work, bills, kids, and daily responsibilities, right?
Some people are just plain lazy and would rather hear themselves rant and complain to let off some steam. We’ve all been guilty of this at some point and likely more than once. Don’t get me wrong. I think talking about it is better than doing nothing. It beats silence and complacency. There are a few who are doing something. Those who have surrounded themselves with the right people and those with communications, law, or other types of degrees and education understand how to navigate the legislative process and civic affairs. Those are our leaders; we should focus more on what they are doing than the latest flag-waving protest. Protests draw attention to the issues, but it’s in the daily work that the job gets done.
You would have to have your head under a rock not to see Western civilization falling apart at the seams. This has been happening a lot longer than we care to admit. I mean, all you have to do is look at the exploitation in third-world countries and our long history of human subjugation to see that our nations have been playing this game of greed for centuries. We are not absolved of responsibility because someone is holding the puppet strings. We’ve danced for the crowd happily for decades while atrocities occurred all over the world.
If we want things to change, we must be the change and act accordingly, which means doing something that will create that change whether it be through our school boards, local municipalities, community gatherings, or through educating ourselves on the legislative processes of our governments. Another option is to create new systems, structures, and institutions. This is how we create a productive and healthy society. Spreading the word starts the conversation, but social media isn’t going to save us. If anything, it has sucked us into a vortex of repetition and noise. It’s become a labyrinth and they know it.
S. Angell is a published poet, writer, philosopher, video blogger, and preschool teacher by day. She explores an array of topics including love, life, death, history, and society from a philosophical perspective. You can find her on Instagram @therainydaypoetess or TheRainyDayPoet.com
