Sharing My Opinions Online
Lets talk about social media and sharing our opinions online, shall we? Social media is a blessing as much as a curse and while i say this because we see some people be hateful to others using what ever social media platform they have. While having grown with the internet, i don't see an issue with voicing our opinions - free speech and all. One of the reasons i started this blog is to talk about my thoughts and opinions without having to worry too much about what people think, i could talk freely but that does come with some hesitance.
As you know, i spend most of my time online flicking through Twitter, Tumblr, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram etc sometimes out of boredom. If we think about it, if it wasn't for the creation of the glorious internet blogging wouldn't have existed. I've always been one to share my thoughts and opinions with like minded people and my blog helps me do that - freely. Blogging has become somewhat a trend amongst us internet lovers, we all blog for different reasons, some blog all their going on's and others run a business from blogging.
We're a generation that share our feelings through online platforms and that's great, It's a way to express your emotions and if hundreds of people see it, well then it may make them feel comfortable about sharing their thoughts and feelings.
I have a lot to say on a few things and i'm sure you can probably tell from my Twitter, going on little rants (life of a fangirl), voicing my thoughts on today's society, feminism, equality and mental health etc. In a culture where constantly expressing your opinion is not only expected, but valued. We share our opinion quite subtly by retweeting other people's tweets or sharing a post on Facebook. Social media has always been a good way of sharing opinions on things that matter to us and affect us, some of us tend to forget that there is a human being behind that screen.
Sometimes I'm so hesitant about sharing my opinions online. I honestly feel like I'm gonna get my head bitten off. Is it really speaking your mind or plain ignorance? People who choose to write about race, religion and politics or whatever often have a very misguided view about the topic in question. They are often people who are swayed by the media, sharing opinions online is one thing, but when there is a refusal to look at the other side of coin then you are clearly going to have people call you out on it for being mindless.
I love the internet, i like sharing my thoughts on things i feel strongly about. The web is there to inform, educate and inspire. The way we share things should be from the heart, honest but thought through. Think about what you say before you say it. Will it make someone smile or will it hurt someone. One thing I've been seeing alot lately is 'are bloggers relatable'
We all have unique styles, interests, talents and thoughts. Using a combination of personality and relatability with what you think others will like is not a bad thing. Most importantly we have different views on how we see and think about things, of course we are allowed to question things because how can we grow some understanding without learning from people of different races, belief and cultures.
Sure, i share my life online and they happen to be the happier parts, i talk about my mental health, my good days and my bad days. Why judge people for speaking about their illnesses or life on social media, you can learn a few things from someone behind the screen but you never know the full story. You never know what they are dealing with in secret and maybe they are using social media to get their voices heard, their opinions out there.
Why shouldn’t they spread awareness and tell their story if that’s what they feel called to do? It could help someone. Maybe consider the fact that everyone moves to a different beat, and just because someone doesn’t move to your beat doesn’t mean they’re moving to the wrong beat. If you're passionate about something, raise your voice about it. It deserves to be heard.
While i respect peoples opinions, i can't keep my thoughts to myself when those opinions are hurtful and cruel to another human being or any living thing. Its not something i can just 'scroll' past and pretend i didn't see it. I know a lot of people have something to say about political marches i.e like the womens march which is a bold movement, people marched for equality.
It's important to tell your story because we all have a story to tell:
- It connects you with people and helps you realize that you are not alone. Often times, when we are struggling with something, it may seem like you’re going through it alone. In sharing your story, you may find someone who’s going through what you’re going through, or you might find someone else’s story that you can relate to. It may not be the exact same situation, but the feelings felt and hardships endured are what have the ability to connect people. Knowing that you’re not alone can be a confidence booster.
- It allows people to get to know you better. There is far more to a person than just their name, hometown, major, and what school they go to. A person’s story can dig a little deeper into a person’s priorities, hopes, dreams, and so much more. It could also explain a person’s career choice, choice in major, personality, or opinions on certain topics. No one, of course, can 100% know who you are except for yourself, but sharing your story can help give them an idea.
- It allows you to reflect on yourself. Reflection is so important. It allows you to see where you are now in relation to where you’ve been. It can either serve as a source of accomplishment, as you may have progressed to reach your goals, or as a reminder that you have the ability to do great things, and that you will. By being able to look back on experiences you’ve had, lessons you’ve learned, as well as your strengths and weaknesses gives you something to bring with you as you set out to accomplish your next goals for your future.
If something is hurtful, don't say it. We're all entitled to our own opinions but those like Katie Hopkins, Piers Morgan, Donald Trump etc really take it too far and you just want to ban them from access to social media, with their hateful comments on pretty much anything and everything that exists, lets just say people like that make me so frustrated with humanity and society. They shouldn't be entitled to social media because all we see is nasty, vile comments from them. We don't have a right to make someone feel unsafe/threatened but we do have a right to challenge the views of others. We need to talk about things that are uncomfortable because that's how change happens. That is how problems are resolved/worked on. Go out there and educate yourself on what is going on in this world. Talk about things that are uncomfortable, and let yourself be heard. Stand up for what you believe in. We all have something to say.
I mean after all, the media pretty much says it all for us these days, right? We read what we’re supposed to know. Our friends tell us what to think. Our parents ingrain us with their own values and ideals. But what can we think? How do we view society? We all have a thing or two to say about today's society. We have been blessed with outlets for expression that generations before us never dreamed to be possible. We can publish our thoughts with the click of a button and have 24/7 access to the world around us. We have been given opportunity time and time again to use our words in positive ways. You can speak your mind. You can send a message. You can help others. We all can and if we all would, the world could potentially be a much better place.
What are your thoughts about voicing your opinions online?
