Social media judgements

Like any other tech period person, I am also a member of many online groups. Like Fremont mommies, groups related to my profession, parent groups, community groups etc. Recently on one of these groups, I read a post like this. Apparently the person was upset. She reported an incidence which happened in one of the famous shopping places. In this shopping place, there is a person at the door at the time of check out. This person's job is to check your cart and match it with the items on your receipt. Some times if you have kids with you, this person makes a funny face picture on your receipt and gives it to the kid. Kids seem to enjoy this. So the person from my group, reported an incidence in this set up. She said that there was a family in front of her during check out. The kid in that family, demanded a happy face picture on their receipt to this check out person. The check out person requested the kid to say "please" before he could draw a happy face. Apparently the parent did not like this and he/she expressed dislike towards the check out person for his demand. The person on the group reporting this expressed her opinion saying that this is an example of horrible parenting. "please" and "thank you" are polite words and every parent should teach them to every kid. It was sad that this particular parent did not care about it and instead condemn the check out person. This discussion went further on and many people commented on how this particular parent was careless.

 

 

Superficially this whole things seems very right. All can agree that kids should be taught manners and should be encouraged to use polite words always. Though, I felt how is it OK to judge a parent based on such a short encounter? While check out, how much the person behind this parent could have understood the whole situation? How would some one know the state of mind or the current situation of that parent? Was that parent in a rush to go some where? How do you know how the parenting really is based on such a short encounter? If this parent reads this whole post and if he/she had a different situation than it was assumed in the discussion, how he/she would feel?

 

 

Social media is a great tool to keep each other informed. We have the luxury of expressing ourselves in the nick of time. We can feel so supported so easily by being a part of social media groups. We can get quick information about road conditions, traffic, crime scene etc. even before it is published in the news.

 

We never ever had this kind of liberty and connectedness before but is it OK to use this media for judging anyone we hardly know so quickly? How is it fair? We often read comments of people on particular actor's clothing or fashion while he/she was just walking out of the air port. Lately there was a comment on how a particular actress is always holding her 8 years old daughter's hand every where she goes. People commented on this post and made fun of the actress' behavior without any inhibitions. What's wrong with us?

 

 

There are also many more serious incidences like internet bullying for our teens. These kids go under lot of emotional turmoil because some other friend clicked his picture in a particular situation and posted it on the social media site. The kid gets trolled without any considerations. Is this what we are leaving for our kids? Are we giving them a gift or a punishment for rest of their lives?

 

 

There are many laws regarding what to post and what not on the internet. But there are no guidelines about what is a good social media behavior and what is not. Thankfully there are not because we all enjoy freedom of expression. With freedom there comes some responsibility. Just because one has a tool to comment, it should not be used as a license to pass judgments. Our next generation is watching us. It is up to us what model are we leaving for them .