Facebook Cynics

It is impossible to escape the world of social media. Considering how we operate as social beings, the internet provides a much easier platform for managing relationships. Social media also helps to facilitate the expressing and sharing of a multitude of opinions. However, as nice as it would be to sit back and marvel at where technology has brought us, it's easier to see the cracks that have formed and critique upon them. This specific critique is not on social media, but rather the body of writing that is so dense and prevalent that it could have its own literature genre. What I am referring to is, of course: social media cynicism.

When you have in your hand an accessible platform to just let everyone know every thought that crosses your mind, it's difficult to pass up on it. Whether it be something like the US elections or even as miniscule as the inauguration of Burger King in Bangladesh. The inauguration that brought on a lot of enthusiasm in the city. In fact, it brought on so much enthusiasm that it had people waiting in lines front of the fast food chain once it had opened. However what followed was a far more negative reaction, where people took to their social media accounts to criticize the people that bothered to stand in lines.

As much as everyone is entitled to their opinion, there's a tendency to show off one's opinions as the only valid one or even as a fact. The posts of such are tinted with a "holier than thou" attitude from the poster's part. Believing that somehow not standing in line for Burger King makes one better than someone who did. That is the sentiment that echoed throughout all the criticisms. But Bangladesh has very limited opportunities regarding experiences to have, so it's difficult to claim one to be better than the other. If anything, it isn't possible to determine whether it is better to stand in line for an experience or be on the internet complaining about that very thing.

Social media like Facebook is a platform made up of myriad of different voices. There's no way to determine which voice would be louder than the other. It's also easy to sway the crowd into a mob mentality in a setting like social media. But sometimes it's best to just let things be and not give into the temptation of always needing to be heard. Let people do their things and be themselves. It's an odd sentiment to present when this article itself is being critical of criticism, ultimately it's best to just let the keyboards be and let people get excited over things. There are enough things to complain about, it is worth getting excited over certain things.