Writings in the Sand

What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding?*

I belong to a number of special interest groups on Facebook. Some are for hobbies, others celebrate certain authors or artists, and there’s even a couple of groups devoted to quirky television series that I enjoy.

I love being able to share my enthusiasm for different pursuits with like-minded people.

I don’t love it when the discussions go off topic and into emotionally-charged political debates. Don’t get me wrong - I love to debate politics. Just not in a knitting group. In my craft groups, I want to discuss techniques, share patterns and encourage others by praising the quality of their latest projects. I don’t want to know the politics of the others in the group and I don’t want to preach mine. I want to like them as people, as friends. But bring in politics and people change. They go from being supportive and encouraging to hurling insults and oh! how the uppercase letters and exclamation marks multiply across the screen!

I prefer it when the admins shut down the off-topic political fights. If they don’t, I generally leave the group. I prefer to continue liking my fellow enthusiasts. I don’t want to hate them and I don’t want them to hate me.

Because political debates can go to an unhealthy level of anger and nonsense. I know this from experience.

See, I was having a conversation with a group of people on the interwebs recently when I opened my argument with the well-known quote: “Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see.”

Since this was a political discussion, another participant immediately countered with “That’s what the Nazis said!”.

I was taken aback completely. I felt like a fool.

How did I not know that Edgar Allan Poe was a Nazi?



*Apologies to Elvis Costello, but I am hoping to leave you with an earworm.