Senior Moments by
Charles P. Eberson
Now, with that being said, I had another column practically finished for this issue and in my opinion, a pretty inspirational one but alas, recent events have demanded that it wait until another time. As I age, I am prone to express myself more directly and with less fear of reprisal. Maybe it is because I used to be more concerned what others might think or because I am more confident in the positions I am taking now but basically my filters are coming down. Those who have known me for any extended length of time know that I am not malicious, hateful, bigoted, sexist or any other negative labels that may be thrown my way. However, I do have a dark and sometimes inappropriate sense of humor that has been honed to a fine edge over the years. This rather endearing quality has been tolerated and even encouraged at times. Enter Facebook, the election and The March.
When the “End of Times” comes, I don’t think it will be because of global warming, a nuclear holocaust or the crashing of the electric grid. I believe it will be due to the effects of social media and those who treat it like a 10 year old in a race car. Years ago, I held off opening a Facebook account. I wasn’t interested in where people were going to dinner or what their pet cat was doing and I sure wasn’t narcissistic enough to think people were that interested in my life. I finally caved because I saw it as a viable outlet to promote my photography. I was also able to reach out to relatives and friends around the globe and catch up after so many years. Eventually, I was drinking the Facebook Kool Aid and accumulated friends, although selectively and sharing snippets of our family’s life. It all seemed harmless enough. Recently, I had quite enough of the political venom that was spewing forth so I jumped in with a dark, edgy and true to my style inappropriate post, put on my blast goggles and just waited. Had I been a talented artist, it would simply be the political cartoon we are so used to seeing. It didn’t take long. I got the usual “likes” and “smiley faces” and of course, the eye roll from my wife but also some disturbing reactions. One person in particular reposted only a portion of my post and framed it in such a way as to make it offensive specifically to women. This elicited exactly the fiery response she sought but what my original post lacked. It gave her the platform and attention she so desperately craved and she used it as an opportunity to shine a light on her own troubled past. Another person I called a friend, used a tragedy that our family endured as a comparison to how people are feeling about the political climate in our country and then “unfriended” me.
In conclusion, I have to say that this whole experience has been cathartic. I dodged a serious health bullet and now view Facebook and friends with a new clarity. My list of Facebook friends have been pared down to people who really matter, who have something meaningful to add to my life and I have jettisoned much of the ballast that can weigh me down. The air on this side is sweet and I breathe it in with great gulps. By the way, if you have any photos of your cats I’m ready for them now.
Charles Eberson has been in the newspaper business for over 25 years. He has worked as a writer, advertising executive, circulation manager and photographer. His photography can be viewed at charles-eberson.fineartamerica.com
