So, it's time to face another election. And you know what that means? The Social Media Armchair Electioneering has begun!
And as much as it amuses me that the acronym for this is SMAE - making those who do it SMAErs - this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Engagement in politics is vital, especially during an election. However, we all know how annoying it can get. Especially on social media. So, with that in mind, I implore you to pay heed to the points below and try not to contribute to the traditional flooding of pointless and/or damaging articles on social media.
DO: Read before you post;
Seriously. Read the article. The whole damn thing, not just the title. I've already seen one person share an article that meant exactly the opposite of what he believes because he didn't realise the title was clickbait-y "sarcasm". And then check the sources. Despite evidence to the contrary, Fake News is incredibly easy to spot if you use a modicum of critical thinking. Be sure you know what you're posting. Otherwise, you're just that irritating person spamming junk all over people's Feeds. And no one likes that guy.
DON'T: Post anything that isn't new;
If you've posted an opinion once, we don't need to see it again. Let's face it, in all likelihood your friends know your political leanings already, so if all you're doing is hammering home that you agree with one side or the other you're not contributing to the discussion. If you read something new - a piece of information or an interpretation of a point of view you've not seen before - then go ahead and share. But if you simply post the same thing over and over people will stop bothering to read because you're making your opinions repetitive and uninteresting. Then when you do have something interesting to say, no one's listening.
DO: Read posts from people you disagree with;
The internet is an echo chamber. You will almost certainly be connected to people who, more or less, share your opinions. That's why it's sometimes hard to understand why anyone would ever vote differently to you; because you haven't taken the time to engage with their thinking. And I'm talking about more than simply reading newspaper headlines as you pass them in the supermarket. Find a reputable website, newspaper, or magazine and give it a read. If you want progressive discourse you need to know why people don't share your beliefs because that's the only way you'll learn how to change their minds.
DON'T: Get angry at dissent;
People will disagree with you. Get used to it and stop overreacting. I know it's frustrating that the other side just can't see how wrong they are, or how much better the world would be if they just learned to agree with you on everything but telling them how stupid they are for not doing so won't help. Yes, if you want to make a difference in the world you need passion, but passion doesn't necessarily mean anger. Yelling for no reason simply makes the divide bigger. And if every political post becomes little more than people yelling at each other about how stupid their opinions are people aren't going to bother reading them.
DO: Change your mind;
Changing your opinion isn't weakness, it's growth. When we learn something new, we need to change our ideas to reflect this. We can't be afraid to admit when hard evidence proves us wrong. Never dismiss facts out of hand just because they don't match your current beliefs. If you ever want to believe you can change someone else's mind then you need to be prepared for it to happen to you as well. Admitting you were wrong about something isn't going to change how you vote. Or maybe it will. Who knows? Don't blindly insist you're right and everyone who disagrees is wrong. And if it happens the other way around, don't be a dick about it.
We all both have a duty to engage with politics, to investigate and then promote our political ideas and beliefs, especially around election time. But we also have a right to ignore it all completely as well. And, at least in my opinion, what the Left and Right both need to do is learn to engage with the disinterested. So many people don't care about politics, either through apathy, disinterest, or pointless rebellion against "authority". This is the silent majority. These are the ones we need to persuade.
A third of all people don't bother to vote because they've become disengaged with politics. If you want to get these people voting, and more importantly for your side, then you need to think about how you're engaging them. Take a moment. Is that post you're about to Share going to help your cause as much as you think it will?
Don't be that person who puts people off politics.