Insults and Social Media

I saw it last week, so I thought he said it last week, but in June Pope Francis

lamented the “culture of insults” enabled by social media. “Lack of harmony has lead to stark divisions,” he said. We tend to cling to “our little group, to the things and people we like...Nowadays it is fashionable to hurl adjectives and, sadly, even insults.” He recommended responding “to malice with goodness, to shouting with silence, to gossip with prayer, to defeatism with encouragement.”

This doesn’t just go for social media, but all relationships, all the time. Social media gets the attention because it allows people to be the worst version of themselves, and due to anonymity, suffer no consequences. Like a vehicle it can be both a useful tool, or a weapon. It is only “deadly” in the hostile and hateful ideas it can spread.

Political debate is the reason for the insults. Our culture of insults is linked to an economy of insults. People with massive social media followings are expected to creatively insult their political adversaries for their audience’s entertainment. They get money, likes and views, and this contributes to their egomania. It inspires other to take up “the cause” in their own way: starting their own YouTube channels, or making scathing comments on Facebook.

That is the reason I will never permanently rid myself of Facebook: there is an unmatched thrill in debating with tangible people I once knew, as myself. On Twitter I can get involved with divisive conversation with strangers, as a stranger; I can be completely insulting and acerbic in my response because we are nothing but a picture on a screen to each other. On Facebook my inclination is to be disagreeable, but kinder, to the people I once knew, though still asserting the political point of view I am debating. Facebook is much more personal because I once knew these people, and once cared what they thought of me. Now that we are memories to one another, I need to let them know how my opinions have changed, and to a larger extent, how I have changed. This is ego. If we still mattered to each other, we would still be in each other’s day-to-day life. Or at least be in touch in a more personal way. We can go our separate ways without being unemotionally in touch with those we pretend to care about. But I digress.

It is my natural inclination as a hypocrite to both agree with The Pope and defend my own actions.

This blog isn’t really social media because nobody comments on it. And I don’t try to insult people for its own sake here. (Though that could be another form of mental exercise.) People are offended very easily now; even when comments made are not personal, people take them that way. I am not insulting on social media, but I never contribute goodness. I think goodness can only be lived, but I’ll get back to that in another post probably.

Debate is a form of sport, and any insult during a debate is an automatic loss. But people do it anyway, and lose the real value of debate: to be civilized and avoid violence. Then insults themselves become the sport; being vicious has always been entertaining. That was part of the purpose of the Roman Coliseum.

Only in Christ are we moving towards greater civility and love for one another, though there is still a very long way to go. 

Ultimately, The Pope is being a good father. He is reminding us not to judge one another, and instead to be forgiving and kind.