cyberbullying screen time social media

Don’t Focus on Educating Online Haters and Bullies

 

While we can easily expose ourselves on social media, it is daunting to show some levels of vulnerability.

Posting photos online is not the hard part.

There is an endless number of filters and effects you can apply to make that photo look like it came right out of a magazine.

Revealing ourselves, our business, interests, and passions are more challenging for most of us.

While social media offers us interactive platforms for us to shine, there are certain “risks” involved.

Social media is the arena and we can easily enter that arena.

While people (the spectators in the arena) are watching us, they can judge us and interact with us immediately.

That is the “risk” people worry about.

Only it isn’t a risk, it is in fact inevitable.

There will be bullies, haters, and trolls.

As the saying goes: you will never be criticized by someone who is doing more than you.

You’ll only be criticized by someone who is doing less.

So you want to prepare yourself to ignore most negative comments that will be posted.

Other strategies aside from simply ignoring the haters, is to comment on their comments.

Posters won’t always expect that and will be surprised their comment got an actual reaction from you.

As a result, some may admit that their comment sounded a bit harsh, or they may at least show some respect for your courtesy.

Sometimes a comment looks very critical, but the poster didn’t mean it that way.

It’s good to give posters the benefit of the doubt sometimes.

When you reply to a comment, make sure the comment is not obviously posted to hurt you.

Comments which have the obvious purpose to hate on you should definitely be ignored.

You will not want to defend yourself or to educate them on how they ought to behave.

That will be pointless.

Don’t forget about the option to block a person who is spamming and troublesome.

Personally, I’ve heard of people who took the time to send a private message to someone who posted a hateful message saying basically:

It seems you’re currently dealing with particular issues, I wish you all the best and hope you feel better soon.

Definitely not recommended for every single negative comment of course, but it’s an interesting option nonetheless.

Remember that even when you post videos of babies laughing, there will be haters.

It’s part of the game.

Just make sure they won’t stop you from doing what you are meant to do.