Now that I no longer have to leap out of bed at the crack of dawn to be at my desk by 7:30 8:00 8:30 9 am or so, I can linger over my morning perusal of several virtual newspapers and drink a leisurely cup of coffee — or half a dozen — before starting to think about what to do with my day. I lately started skimming some of the online comments below the stories (I know, I know, really bad idea). But they’re almost as much of an eye-opener as social media.
Once you get past the vitriol being spewed, it becomes apparent there’s a whole subculture living underneath the news that bears absolutely no resemblance to real life. Commenters mostly contribute under pseudonyms (or so I assume; nobody is really named Wetburgh5603 or PotatoFarmer or LastDedicated[InsertPoliticalPartyHere]Ever, right?) Safe in the anonymity of a pseudonym, they feel free to share the most outrageous opinions, all in the starkest black or white terms (no shades of grey here!)
Our leaders are inevitably the vilest human beings imaginable (no matter what their political stripe is). They do everything disastrously wrong. Always. And the commenters have all the answers. The pandemic is a colossal hoax! No, COVID-19 is a sound reason to lock everyone up at home, forever! Climate change is another gigantic hoax! No, climate change will bring the world to an end tomorrow (maybe even this afternoon). It’s cold and there’s a massive downpour coming down out there today! No, no, the sun is shining and it’s 25 degrees! Etc.
Commenters all know much more about everything than any professional or scientist with years of education and experience. Gosh, I wish I had their confidence. Yes, a few brave souls with common sense venture out to counter the nonsense with facts and research, but they’re either studiously ignored or grievously insulted. No room for reality here, folks! Move along now. Nothing to see.
I suspect some of them are retirees with nothing better to do with their time (judging by the number of comments they submit, it’s surprising some of these people find time for meals or sleep; there are certainly not enough hours in the day for them to read and research all these opinions).
Get a grip, folks! Remember that thing your mother used to tell you about interacting with kids in the playground? If you can’t say something nice about someone, don’t say anything at all. Commenters obviously never heard that message (or if they did, they’re willfully ignoring it). It’s so easy to be harsh. Nice takes a lot more work.
So maybe find a hobby. Go outside (yes, even when it’s raining). Me, I’m going back to reading real fiction. It’s more fun.
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