Originally posted by Parallax Anybody who gives any credence to anything posted on Facebook, Twitter, et al, has a very loose association with reality.
I've resolutely avoided joining any social media platforms... Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc. I realise there's
some valuable and responsible use of them, but all I see everywhere is narcissism and virtue-signalling.
Case in point...
Here in the UK, a social media plan was hatched - and went viral - a couple of days ago for folks to stand outside their homes tonight at 8pm and clap their hands, applauding the NHS (our National Health Service) and - primarily - its staff for the great work they're doing in this crisis. Now, for the record, I am humbled and grateful beyond belief for their service... not just in this situation, but every day of every year that I've lived. But a couple of things bug me about this social media driven activity. Firstly, most of the front-line NHS staff will either be at work, dealing with all manner of trials and tribulations, or they'll be enjoying a tiny amount of free time indoors with their families, or catching a few hours' much-needed sleep before the onslaught begins again tomorrow. The way I see it, the only folks who'll hear the clapping are people that are outside clapping. Then, after that, there'll be all sorts of social media posts and selfies from folks who took part, were "there", were part of the event, etc. This is a social media event for social media users. It's narcissistic virtue-signalling, and has more to do with that than anything to help the wonderful staff in our NHS. It's the same with today's "candle-lit vigils" whenever a dreadful event happens... People flock from all around to be part of them, then post photos and dreadfully trite, pseudo-insightful messages on social media. I can't abide it, I really can't...
If any of our members are from the NHS, or indeed any other public sector service in the UK or any other country, that's under pressure from this current crisis, I offer a huge and entirely non-virtue-signalling, non-narcissistic, THANK YOU!
Last edited by BigMackCam; 03-26-2020 at 04:12 PM.