My little girls are 5 and 8. They play very well together and with other kids. They don’t understand how we’re all different. They don’t see religion or color or social background. All they see is potential fun with someone that’s roughly their size. They may argue, but it’s usually about what game to play or who gets to be which character in their make-believe world. It’s never about something as arbitrary as what the other person looks like.

They don’t understand borders and differences in countries around the world. When I tried explaining how women were treated in the Middle East, they looked at me like I had egg on my face. They asked, “why are women treated so poorly?” and “why do we have it so good here but they have it so bad there?” It was not an easy conversation. How do I explain that some religions and beliefs are different in other areas of the world, to a kindergartener that only understands God to be loving and forgiving?

We are failing as a society. We are so hellbent on making our kids stronger for the future, that we are neglecting to teach them compassion and understanding. The population as a whole, especially kids and young adults, spend an obscene amount of time plugged in and enslaved to their devices. It’s warping our minds and programming us to think the way they want us to think. We have given up our intellectual independence for “likes” and “shares”.

Imagine for a moment… you’ve just hit “post” on a funny picture or meme that you wanted to share. Almost immediately your phone starts to ring with the sound of little validating beeps. Each one is a “like” or a “comment” on your recent post. You turn your phone on and open up whatever social platform you are using. The little red bubble with the number inside at the top of your page is growing. People LIKED it! They LOVE what you have to say. You feel great. You’ve been approved by your peers. You go to bed with a smile on your face. By morning, your post has faded into the dark abyss of the internet and forgotten about before you could even have breakfast. Now, you want that high again. You need to feel that authentication. You try to come up with more witty and funny material, but it only gets 6 likes and your mom is one of them. You feel empty. But you can’t put the phone down. You might miss something.

Social media is destroying the very fabric of society. It’s tearing us apart at the seam. What was designed to help us stay connected with each other and share in all of life’s splendid moments, has turned into a nightmare. People are too comfortable behind their computer screen. The bullying is extensive and nonstop. And the parents are just as bad as the kids. Like many people, I find myself spending way too much time on social media. I frequently think about deleting all platforms entirely. It has become a cesspool of hate and arguing. It’s almost impossible to ignore. Then I justify keeping it so I can see all the good things that it offers. In reality, I’m missing out on all of the good things by being tethered to my phone or tablet.

One thing is for sure, I’m not going to allow my kids to visit these types of sites. Not because I don’t trust them, but rather I don’t trust the rest of the world. They are good kids and they are being raised with a moral compass. They will know how to treat their peers and how to have respect for their fellow man. FB, Insta, Snap…they’re all just breeding grounds for hate. And I cannot, in good conscience, allow that into my home.

With Gratitude,

Ryan

P.S. I realize the hypocrisy of this rant, considering there’s a link at the bottom to follow me on Facebook. We can’t all be perfect. 😉