Our Social Battlefield

If you are anything like me, you often feel like World War III is being fought on an electronics and social media battlefield. In reality, I often feel like I've gone back in time to the days on the playground. Although the topics are more mature, the weapons are more hurtful, tongues are sharper, and there is often a greater price to pay.

Texting/Doorbell Ditching: I have likened texting to the game of Doorbell Ditching. If you are not familiar with the prank (that's actually a more accurate term), one runs up to a door, rings the doorbell and then runs away quickly and hides. The goal is to not be caught.  How many times have you experienced a friend or a family member send you a text requiring a response, to which you reply and then....silence.

Hide and Seek: Can't find your spouse? Check the bathroom.  It may be best to call out "olly, olly oxen, free, free free!" before attempting to enter in. 😊

Dodgeball: A comment is made on someone's Facebook post that begs for a response.  Here's the reply and...gone is the individual who made the comment.

Tetherball: With this game, the bantering continues and then escalates with one person eventually loosing steam until the ball wraps around the pole and the opponent is choked out.

Four Square: This can be a more civil approach.  The ball is bounced back and forth between two or more individuals.  Words are shared with civility at first and then the momentum increases until the ball is slammed into one square then the next, until eventually there is only one person standing.

King of the Mountain: The discussion starts out civilly and ideas are shared but one dominant individual begins to control the discussion. The others continue to assert their point of view as they also seek for dominance. Words become increasingly harsh and tempers flare, each one seeking to dethrone the King of the Mountain.

I often remind myself that the expression and opinions of those texting and posting on their own page have little or no reflection on me personally and not to take offense or I may find myself jumping in to a game of Tug of War or getting tripped up playing Double Dutch Jump Rope.

(Please note: This article was written some time ago but found unpublished. 

A few edits were made to the original content.)