Copy and Paste, or else...

Climbs up on her soapbox.  Adjusts microphone.  Leans on podium.  Stares blankly into the crowd….

Facebook has a lot of very good qualities.  There are a lot of reasons why I love Facebook.  But there are a few things that are guaranteed to set me off and cause me to either shut it off or have a little vent off.  

One of my biggest pet peeves are the “copy and paste” or else statuses.   This is the most recent one that caused me to lose my cool “I would like to see five of my contacts copy and post this message (not sharing) the goal is to show that you are always there if someone needs to talk. And I think I know who will do that…”   Oh really.  So me, copying and pasting something to my Facebook status proves that I will always be there if someone needs to talk?   How, pray tell does that work?  That’s like saying that people going to church are always good Christians.  Anyone can say and pretend to be something.  It’s the people who prove it by their actions that show me.  

But what really gets me is that last line. It’s that little guilt trip jab right there.  Like the person who copied the status already thinks they “know” who the good and bad people on their friends list are.  They already know who cares enough to be there for them so they don’t expect you to share.  So hurry hurry and copy and paste it so everyone knows you aren’t one of those uncaring jerks who didn’t copy and paste.  Maybe that’s what I will tell my friends the next time one of them needs me.  “I can’t talk right now, but hey - I copied and pasted that status the other day so we are totally good, right?”

I wish this were the end of it.  This one status was the only one of its kind.  Unfortunately, that isn’t the case.  If you have spent any time on social media, just understand the wide range of things that you can be an uncaring, unsupportive heathen for, just by not copying and pasting.  I mean, since I don’t copy and paste I hate people with cancer, I don’t believe in Jesus and I don’t care about victims of suicide.  Why?  Why would sharing a post or copying and pasting have anything to do with my feelings on any of those subjects?  I’m totally okay with everyone posting away about all of these topics.  I will probably post about these topics myself someday.  But I’m not comfortable with the whole “copy and paste this or else…” mentality.  Just think about that the next time you copy and paste your very own guilt trip.

Steps down off soapbox.  Kicks it over...