Iona Winter

Yes, yes, slacker alert blog-wise! It’s been a bonkers fortnight, with little time for anything other than work and sleep, and the odd chat with the chooks.

Zero writing accomplished, but there’s always tomorrow.

Yesterday I got home early from work (for a change), made a cuppa and looked through my social media links. I read an ‘opinion piece’ by a local journo who had written (to my mind) an informative article on inequity, inequality and oppression.

What horrified me though, was the onslaught of feedback thrown at the author. It made my blood boil. Down went my cup of tea. I have strong reactions to injustice. Always.

It is very difficult to understand (having worked in the human rights field for most of my life) why our online culture is so adept at shaming people. Equally difficult to understand, is the lack of awareness (some) people seem to have about basic human rights. Come on folks it’s 2016, not the dark ages!

I do wonder (about those who make sardonic comments) whether they’ve experienced any hardship in their lives. Like having no money after the rent and bills are paid, eating bad food (or going without) because that’s all you can afford, homelessness, torture, violence and (any kind of) marginalisation. Need I go on?

It’s very easy to judge each other, rather than looking at ourselves. Our online culture exacerbates this, providing an easy ‘out’ from being engaged with one another face to face. There are times (dare I say it) when I think said sardonists are gutless.

I imagine historically people (with challenging opinions) would’ve been put in stocks and had rotten fruit thrown at them (probably for all sorts of ridiculous reasons). Equally humiliating, say I.

Maybe shaming each another is simply part of the human condition.

But not all of us engage in online debate, or even personal debate—some of us say nothing.

To me online criticism often falls under the spectrum of violence. But I am reminded that we are ALL capable of harming another person, creature, or environment.

Yesterday it was very tempting to punch out replies to all one-hundred-and-twenty abusive or misinformed comments. I am grateful that I didn’t, because the result may have left me looking like Methuselah!

Some things are best left unsaid. I’ll choose my battles wisely, and continue to say things face to face.