I find it curious how the old timers love to brag about Amateur Radio being the ‘Original Social Media’. I won’t argue this point, I believe it has merit. But if it is the original, can we then blame the modern day mishaps of Social Media on Hams?
I am a member of many Facebook Groups, some of them have good admins and keep things civil, however many have what I will call ‘undesirables’, or in other terms ‘Alpha Hotels’. These individuals just troll about looking for ways to put people down and to try and show how smart or witty they think they are. We see these individuals in every group, their posts, and generally know that their input is just inflammatory, caustic, and meant to get a rise out of others. If your an admin, do something about it. We don't need a 'safe space' but I jut want to learn and grow in my hobby with civil discussion.
The FCC has been ignoring the issues on 80 and 40m for years and I am sure that these are some of the same people that troll our online forums whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc. Whereas we don’t have direct control over the actions of the FCC and their lack of band policing. We do have control over our own social media or radio practices in what we say, type, and do. I have only left one Facebook group and I prefer not to have to go that route unless the admin is the issue. Usually I just block the individual and call it a day, it’s soothing to know I just don’t have to deal with that person ever again. Unfortunately, modern day social media requires this.
For sometime now I have been trying to 'post' by the Golden Rule, do unto others as they do unto you:
Are your comments helpful to the subject and to the poster?
Are you belittling someone with your comment?
Would you say it to the persons face with their mother in the room?
Do you even need to leave a comment? I meant it, just like spinning the dial on the radio, just keep on scrolling to another thread.
If you need to counter with 'better' information, do so in a respectful way.
Let others enjoy the hobby that best suites them.
If we want to claim Amateur Radio as the 'Original Social Media" then we need to set an example and do as one Podcaster always signs off with on every episode: "Let's Stay Above The Noise"