free will
NOUN
freewill (noun)
the power of acting without constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.
Has anyone else set themselves up with a benign Facebook feed? It took a while, mentally as well as technically. I struggle with, doesn't everybody have a right to their opinion? Finally, the answer came to me. yes, they do. I just don't have to be aware of it, read it, comment on it.
I love Facebook. I truly do. I get to watch my kid's friends' lives unfold. I get to watch children grow up that I never would have seen in real life. I keep in contact with distant friends and family members. I have made online friends and become part of groups that have been an important part of my growth.
I have also witnessed hate and greed. I have witnessed trolls who no matter what is being said will spin it to the negative. I have witnessed people who think that everyone that doesn't believe as they do are evil and stupid.
Everyone's opinion matters. I just don't have to read it every time I log on to Facebook. That is called free will. For a long time, I just scrolled by. Then I started putting people on a 30-day pause. I don't want to unfriend people who have a different opinion or belief system than me, I just don't want to be witness to it daily. I don't rely on Facebook for my news. If I want to know what is going on in the world I will seek out the news. I don't want it shoved at me.
So I cleaned up my feed. I just unfollowed people. Some people I love and respect. I wanted to continue to love and respect them. I felt like I didn't need to know their innermost thoughts on all topics. Oversharing is certainly something that is done on Facebook. Am I right?
Now my feed is full of groups of people who are respectful and nice. Some are funny as hell! People share their triumphs and sad events. People are human and sometimes vulnerable. Most days I am not pissed off after logging off of Facebook. I can still check out those people I unfollowed. I can catch up on their pictures and families. I didn't block or unfriend them, I just unfollowed them. I get to choose what my Facebook experience is.
I am not saying everyone should do this. I am not telling you to unfollow anyone. I am just sharing how I was able to lessen the anger I felt every day. As much as I tried not to get angry, I was. Why be fired up all the time?
However, please don't assume that if you ask me if I saw your post and I tell you no, I have unfollowed you.
