Mad World

Social media.

I love it.

...and I hate it.

I use Facebook for personal purposes...not work. Never work.

I live a lot of my work life on LinkedIn (I am a recruiter - it is a good tool).

However...things still amaze me, flabbergast me, scare the shit out of me, gross me out, make me laugh, make me angry.

Tonight, I opened up LinkedIn and this was the first thing in my timeline. I don't know him. I am not connected to him. I spent time frantically scrolling up through comments to see if someone who knew him had contacted the authorities in his hometown. The post had been up for five hours already...how much time was there? Hundreds of comments...wishing him hope, phone numbers of people who offered to help if he would call, people telling him how selfish and cowardly he is, and virtually every other sentiment.

It chills me.

First, that someone feel that this is their only alternative.

Second, that LinkedIn touches so many people who don't know us...each of us never realizing the ripples we create.

Third, how utterly helpless it feels to not know this person and be a witness something that is so intimate inside of their head.

Fourth, to see "likes" next to this...is just wrong.

Fifth, to feel ashamed that the thought goes through one's head wondering if it is real or just another hoax.

So I dug around. Found that people had called the authorities. And sat wondering what the fuck we have come to. So many people. So connected. Yet...so many people who feel disconnected in their connectedness. It leaves me shaken. The media where I usually do my work, keep in touch, find a laugh, learn something, or get angry with people...has chilled me to my bones. It made me feel helpless and scared and sad.

...all because of something someone I don't know posted on LinkedIn.

Then, after searching again to try to see if someone had posted that they had made contact with him and gotten him help, I find this:

And it makes me feel that my fifth point above was true. And anger (and, perhaps, relief) pours out in tears. The tone of the second comment makes it appear that the first was a post placed to see what kind of attention he could draw. And that thought makes me feel cynical and a bit ashamed. And sad.

So. What do you stand for on this social media platform? Do you bash others for having a different opinion than yours, or reasonably and respectfully post differing opinions? Do you call people names because they belong to a demographic you disagree with, or do you keep that inside of your head? Do you face it with tolerance or intolerance? Do you answer people when they reach out to you, or do you ignore them because they don't seem pertinent to your life?

I can only pledge that what I do on this platform will be to help people where I can, to be the voice of reason (sometimes), to educate where I am able, to make you laugh at things (and maybe yourself sometimes), to do the right thing, to apologize when I screw up, and nudge others to do the same.

To anyone who is feeling they have no other options and are at the end of their rope...please, ask for help. Call the National Suicide Hotline (1-800-273-8255). Talk to a friend. Check in with your family. Find a counselor. Call the police. Go to the hospital. But reach out to someone and talk.

To those with other challenges - find someone you trust...someone you can confide in and bounce your thoughts off of. Keep an open mind and weigh your alternatives.

To those of you who post things just to see what happens...think long and hard about that post before you flippantly put something out there. The Boy Who Cried Wolf idiom holds true to this day.

To those of you who may have someone reach out...before you blow them off, think about what impact you can have on a life.

For tonight, I am signing off. I have had enough. Perhaps tomorrow will give me fresh eyes and a more enlightened view...