Creating A Framework For Social Media Interactions

Do you, or don’t you?
Do you what?  
Well my friend, we are glad you asked!

 

Do you really need to take a stand on the latest events to sweep through the public square?  

 

There are two schools of thought

Edmund Burke famously stated “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  While Aaron Burr took the opposite view when he said, “Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for, You wanna get ahead? Fools who run their mouths off wind up dead Ay, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo!”

 

Okay, so the Aaron Burr quote might not be entirely historically accurate (since it was taken from a popular musical) but the sentiment is one that has been reflected by many wise men historical influencers  throughout history.  Abraham Lincoln is credited with having said that it is “better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.”

 

So there you have it.  On the one hand we have the rather thoughtful and sage counsel to stand up for what is right.  Almost as though it is a duty of honor.  So that you cannot be accused as being one of the good people who “did nothing,” as civilization crumbled around us.  This position makes sense!

 

On the other hand we have the equally thoughtful and shrewed counsel to keep your views to yourself.  Because doing so preserves your influence, and the respect that others have for you.  Gosh Darn It!  This position also makes sense!

 

Why can’t anything ever be easy!

 

So which is it?  Do we speak out every time we see something that runs counter to what we believe to be right, or do we remain quiet in order to preserve the respect that others have for us?
As you consider this conundrum, ask yourself whether or not the two positions are indeed actually counter to each other.  

 

Can you take both positions at the same time?

Back in Edmund Burke’s day, do you think there may have been a lot of irritating policies and debates taking place?  Things that probably seemed really important at the time, but that ended up having absolutely no impact whatsoever on the forward march of history?

 

I am sure that at the time a tax on biscuits probably seemed like it could have lead to the collapse of the British Monarchy.  I am likewise sure that the Queen’s position of silks may have been outrageous enough to stir up any good person to express their opinions, so that they could protect the sanctity of the empire.  But let’s be honest, did those things really have any lasting impact on society or history?

 

The answer is of course a resounding no!  Or, since we are talking about British history, and since we want to sound fancy… “No, Governor! They ever so didn’t.  Righy oh!… And Tally ho!”
(If you didn’t read that last sentence in a British accent, then stop, go back, and redo…)

 

If these issues really had no bearing whatsoever on the forward march of history, then it begs the question:  Would Edmund Burke’s advice have applied to them?

 

Returning to our day, does it matter to history that we burn some of the respect with our peers and colleagues, so that we can comment on how stupid The President of The United State’s tie looked last night?  Or that we publicly opposed some bill or legislation whose impact might only reach across a few months, a few years, or even a few decades?

 

Remember that the man (Aaron Burr), who called for keeping our views private, ultimately stood against his king in about as public a way as is possible.  While Abraham Lincoln (who advocated remaining silent) very famously came out publicly against slavery.

 

Would these leaders have had the moral authority, influence, and popular support to take such monumentally radical stances had they burned up all their influence on a thousand daily diatribes about every little thing that they didn’t like about their opponents?

 

The answer is of course, undoubtedly not.  Understand that it is precisely because they practiced the advice to remain quiet on the ten thousand things occurring day to day, that they were able to take the one position (per Edmund Burke’s counsel) that totally and completely altered the course of human history!

 

It would seem then that it is possible to follow both sets of advice!  We can keep our views to ourselves, when it comes to the things that don’t really matter, so that when we do speak up about the things that do matter, we will still have enough influence and respect from our associates so that others will listen to and follow us.

 

You will have to decide for yourself where the line is

You know what we are going to say here!  Wait for it… here it comes…
This is your Journey!

 

If we are anything, we are consistent!   And yes, we have said this before!  It is your journey!  We can’t tell you what to think.  You must decide for yourself how you are going to govern your interactions online.

Do you want to spend your influence as nickles and dimes, or as one massive million dollar bill?  Or perhaps as a few hundred dollar bills along the way?

 

That, my friend is entirely up to you!