Taking an FB break...

[seawasp]

... the political venom (on both sides) was getting to me, and I found that when I was posting in any related threads I was getting actually emotional. This is especially true when I actually try to discuss stuff; FB is TERRIBLE for ongoing discussion. When I get to that point it's time to leave. So I figure I won't be back there until well after the election (probably December, long enough for the wailing from whatever faction lost, and the snickering from whatever faction won, to die down to a dull roar.

I will still be here on LJ, though.

Comments

[xander-opal.livejournal.com]

I had to do the same a month ago. There are a couple people on FB that I am considering dropping too, due to frequent political posts.

[seawasp]

The real trigger was posting a cartoon, getting in a discussion, and realizing that any of the finer points I might make in the discussion were being ignored or used via _reductio ad absurdum_ to continue the argument. I found myself actually getting ANGRY.

Emotional investment in politics? Not for me. Waste of my time. I can't change what they do, and getting emotionally upset by it just (A) makes me feel ill, and (B) deprives me of energy I need to do useful things.

It was especially annoying when people would call me an "X" -- where X would be "liberal", "conservative", "democrat", "republican", etc. -- because I don't fit in any of those boxes and indeed often see little difference between them.

[julesjones]

Sensible move. You've had some medical ups and downs this year, and you need to keep an eye on your spoon count. And if it's bad enough for you of all people to be getting angry, when you're usually pretty laid back about internet weirdness, you need to take a break .

[melchar.livejournal.com]

... why this just shows that you have sentient leanings. ^_^ ... and yeah, Facebook. [shakes head] I have to log in there once a week to post BASFA meeting notes. I try to ignore it the rest of the week.

[muirecan.livejournal.com]

I delight in a good political debate, or any good debate. That said I refuse to go express any political opinion online. And for the reasons you mention Ryk. Any detail to the debate gets lost in screaming insults from both sides. Nothing is that black and white but I swear that on the internet at least people want to treat topics like politics as simple "I'm right and your wrong and don't talk to me about any details." :p So I avoid politics online. ::sigh:: oh well.