It's been an interesting few weeks on Facebook.
Recently a couple of men I know, one with a thriving local business, one who is active in politics, have sent me quite genuine friend requests, and I've said yes. Both have large numbers of FB friends compared with me, because they are using FB for publicity purposes Since then I have gradually been in receipt of a great many posts - a lot on political issues I do not care about, or actually disagree with (Manston), and a number of verging on sleazy posts - what a friend calls "boys posts". What they have in common (apart from never having been to my house) is that they seem to have a lot of racists, UKippers and Manston supporters amongst their vast number of chums. So my questions to myself are "do I want to see their posts and the comments" or "should I block their posts"?. Neither of them ever comment on my posts, and if I stopped seeing theirs life would be more restful. I have somewhat undertaken to challenge racism or other Ukippery where I see it, so that these people don't think they can start strutting around and getting themselves measured for their ceremonial uniforms just yet....Some of them apparently think they will win the general election next year.
Nevertheless, all these arguments, "I'm not going to argue with you. You're wrong." is about the level of it,. are a bit wearing. I don't have to argue, I could ignore it - but I don't want to let them get away with thinking they are in a majority and that the rest of us agree with them. I want to tell them that immigration and the EU are not the cause of all our economic woes, I want to give them an alternative view to think about.
So I'm wondering - shall I stay on and fight the good fight - and confront the realities (effectively Ukippers won about 20% of the whole electorate here - not quite a majority!)? Or shall I block these posts - and fall back gratefully into the arms of my liberal do-gooding chums, where we can all roughly agree in friendly harmony.
I've always said quality not quantity and don't want to be friends with people I wouldn't happily have round to my house (most of them have been here already!) but I'm wondering if that's a comfortable elitist position, and whether it's time to try to organise a little more.
Recently a couple of men I know, one with a thriving local business, one who is active in politics, have sent me quite genuine friend requests, and I've said yes. Both have large numbers of FB friends compared with me, because they are using FB for publicity purposes Since then I have gradually been in receipt of a great many posts - a lot on political issues I do not care about, or actually disagree with (Manston), and a number of verging on sleazy posts - what a friend calls "boys posts". What they have in common (apart from never having been to my house) is that they seem to have a lot of racists, UKippers and Manston supporters amongst their vast number of chums. So my questions to myself are "do I want to see their posts and the comments" or "should I block their posts"?. Neither of them ever comment on my posts, and if I stopped seeing theirs life would be more restful. I have somewhat undertaken to challenge racism or other Ukippery where I see it, so that these people don't think they can start strutting around and getting themselves measured for their ceremonial uniforms just yet....Some of them apparently think they will win the general election next year.
Nevertheless, all these arguments, "I'm not going to argue with you. You're wrong." is about the level of it,. are a bit wearing. I don't have to argue, I could ignore it - but I don't want to let them get away with thinking they are in a majority and that the rest of us agree with them. I want to tell them that immigration and the EU are not the cause of all our economic woes, I want to give them an alternative view to think about.
So I'm wondering - shall I stay on and fight the good fight - and confront the realities (effectively Ukippers won about 20% of the whole electorate here - not quite a majority!)? Or shall I block these posts - and fall back gratefully into the arms of my liberal do-gooding chums, where we can all roughly agree in friendly harmony.
I've always said quality not quantity and don't want to be friends with people I wouldn't happily have round to my house (most of them have been here already!) but I'm wondering if that's a comfortable elitist position, and whether it's time to try to organise a little more.
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