Entering the Fray: The Dangers of Political Discourse on Social Media

Over the past couple of days, I posed questions on Facebook asking my friends how they react when people post political opinions they don’t agree with and also how they respond to disagreement from others when they post something political. Overall, the answers are what I would expect from the type of people I choose to associate with — rational and kind — with some being more willing to engage than others. All seemed slow to unfriend or block someone unless the interaction turned exceptionally hostile.

I was very heartened by this response because we live in a world where true tolerance does not seem to rule the day. We quickly demonize people who see things differently than we do, labeling them dangerous or evil. That’s not to say that some people in the world aren’t dangerous or evil, but if a person has been a friend for any length of time, it seems reasonable to give them the benefit of the doubt. An assessment of their overall character seems only fair when casting judgment, rather than characterizing a person according to their opinion on one issue.

But I have to tell you, I have not always been so fortunate to have such reasonable friends. As a person with a thought or two of their own, I have engaged many people in what I hoped would be a civil discourse, only to have them turn and attack me or unfriend me altogether. One such friend did so after discovering I had a blog where I spoke of such things and ended our relationship without even so much as one conversation. It’s often taken me by surprise the level of vitriol I received from people I otherwise had positive experiences with.

Being Mindful of Your Audience

This has given me greater pause in recent years to speak my opinions freely. That, and the fact that I have become more mindful of my audience. I don’t typically find internet debate fruitful unless the people participating are in good faith. And I am equally cautious about whose pages I engage on. It’s usually quite apparent how welcoming someone is to dissenting opinions, so I move with caution. More times than not, I find most people just want to vent and leave it at that, so I give them space to do so. No problem. But the most frustrating posts are when someone asks a question but doesn’t truly want people to answer unless it’s in the “right way”. I’ve stepped into that trap more than once, and it usually doesn’t end well.

So, as a writer, how do I reconcile all of this? Yes, I am a person of strong conviction and am as political as the next person, but what place does politics have in my public spaces? Well, as a Christian, more than being political, I am called to be Christ-like. I don’t have the luxury of being careless with my opinion. I need to communicate with love. That means weighing how necessary it is to speak my political opinion because people may get hurt. Is it merely a self-serving desire to vent or does it require taking a stand to protect others? Is this a sensitive topic that is better discussed face-to-face rather than behind a cold computer screen? Ultimately, how will it affect my testimony? It has to be worth the cost.

Giving the Benefit of the Doubt

For the most part, I choose to leave politics out of my public Facebook page where I promote my various artistic endeavors. I allow the work to speak for itself. My main objective is to inspire and invite others to reach their own conclusions about what I share. I save most of my political ranting for my private page and even limit the audience on posts if necessary. Yup, sometimes I just want to preach to the choir. But I realize starting an endeavor like Substack might require me to loosen the reins on that a bit and I hope people will stick it out with me.

I can only hope a true friend will know my heart and give me the benefit of the doubt. I certainly offer that to others. I have many friends who think differently than I do on a host of issues. Sure, it frustrates me at times that they don’t always have the “right opinions”, but I choose to trust the sincerity of their concerns and assume they are coming from a good place. They may turn out to be right after all, but we also need to give people space to learn and change their minds in time. So too, I am a work in progress and opinions are subject to change. But it has to be authentic. I know some opinions I hold may cause me to lose a friend or two. But to be a writer means bearing your soul on occasion, so that’s the chance I have to take.