I don’t do much social media. Outside of blogging, I don’t do much. I update things on the Bukal Life Care group on Facebook, as well as the CPSP-Philippines Page. I rarely put anything on my page. The same applies even more to Linkedin. I do use Instagram, but exclusively to put up occasional photos I took. I can’t stand Twitter (X), and consider my life improved immensely when I left it. I have on occasion put videos on Youtube or Vimeo, but almost always just for my students.
The point is, I don’t really take advantage of Social Media much. But today, I looked at my FB feed as I occasionally do, and found my friends simply cutting and pasting (sharing) the “hot takes” or “spins” of other people.
Finally, I kind of lost it a bit. I responded to a political cut-and-paste of a former seminarian,
“I cannot figure out why people use their FB page (a great privilege) to cut and past others’ propaganda. I feel like one of the reasons to go to seminary is to gain theological and ethical insight into the world around us. Simply sharing a (probably) bad take by someone else is such a waste of opportunity. Don’t get me wrong… it seems like everyone is doing it. I might have done it before as well (I can’t remember). If you believe that DT is an ethical and godly leader, then share why that is, based on your training and experience. The same applies if you think that he is an evil troll.”
I must admit that the blurb he was sharing I strongly disagreed with. I feel much less motivated to challenge people who share propaganda that I agree with. But the principle still applies.
The ability to express one’s opinion and put one’s ideas out further than one’s voice can reach is a privilege that was out of reach to all but a few for millennia. So what do people do with it. The share Tweets and FB posts. Are there times to do this? Well, I kind of get it when it comes to images. The ability to capture an idea visually is a gift that not all of us have (I certainly don’t have it). But when it comes to writing… make your words your own. The academic view is best I think. Read, synthesize, share your own words, and quote only occasionally. Additionally, share original sources, and (ideally) identify biases.
Embrace the opportunity to share your originality.
