Before I begin, I will warn you. This is a rant, and a blooming big one at that. One thing that has really annoyed me recently is the judgemental nature and slander that people make out on social networking sites. Now this is a very small minority, who feel the need to wash their dirty laundry in public, arguing with friends and sometimes even partners on Twitter and Facebook for the whole world to see. Others take a more sneaky approach, doing something I like to call an indirect attack. "The awkward moment that girl you hate tweets you. Byeeee." This is even pettier, because it then brings in more rumour mills and gossip. Is this about you? Isn't it? Oh my god, how could she say that?! Blah blah blah. Okay so people are opinionated, some express it to those around them such as friends or family, whilst others take to a more viral feeding of the rumour mill. But surely that is what the internet is all about?! The mind boggles. But believe it or not, this isn't what bothers me most. As an unwritten rule, social networks exist on those who are involved in it. Twitter wouldn't be what it is without the daily celebrity rantings nor would Facebook be checked nearly as much if that girl you went to school with hadn't just had twins. People generally accept that by becoming part of the hysteria, you are allowing the negativity to follow after. People become keyboard warriors to express opinions they do not have the courage/ability to say to another. Whether that is because they are in different countries or in different rooms, people will always hate another over the internet.
What I hate the most is those people who tweet innocently. Letting everyone know how nice that cupcake was from Starbucks, showing their love for a film they've just watched. Making jokes with their friends. Then along comes the gangsters and one harmless comment made turns into an all out battle of the online bullies. People get involved and the whole thing becomes out of control. People are blamed, judged and outcast purely because they said something which the minority took as inappropriate. My advice to those people is this: you are doing exactly what you say you hate. Attacking someone over a social networking site over their rants is EXACTLY the same as that offensive rant. Something which may have been harmless has now been looped into a debauchery of ridiculous anger. It doesn't need to happen. I'm not saying no one would write their opinions, because if that were true, the world would be incredibly boring. Don't get me wrong, I proudly express my opinions, especially on my Twitter. The internet in modern day Britain is one of the few ways you can show your true individuality and express yourself without fear of judgement. And at the age I'm at now, it certainly isn't something I would like to encounter. But viewing others go through the same, I can't help but feel this tiny one tweet bubble has been blown up so far, it's almost become irreversible in terms of damage. Blocking occurs, Facebook friends become real life enemies and some poor chap who made one comment about his disdain of life has now been left with a virtual criminal record. Those ridiculous threats that One Direction fans send out to haters is a prime example. Instead of threatening others simply because they don't share you views, why not accept that everyone has individual thoughts and feelings. What one may think is heaven, another may find hellish. You can also do the easiest thing and ignore it. That follow button is there to allow you to only see what you want to see and if someone keeps nagging about the same boring thing, then simply click that button again and they will disappear forever. Another beauty of the internet. Not everyone who writes a status is out to get you, so don't jump on the first argument you see. It's not worth it.
If you can't stand the heat, keep off the social network.
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