Whenever I can, I greet the day with breakfast, a chai tea latte and the daily news. Though I've always loved spreading the newspapers out across the breakfast table, these days I find I spend more time checking online resources and following the trails of interconnected links. Oftentimes my first stop is Twitter followed by a check-in with my 'friends' on Facebook.
I find it really offensive to read status updates about how sick somebody is, particularly early in the day. It's bad enough when adults detail their sniffles, headaches, aches and pains as if they're rehearsing for the "you've got to believe me, I'm really sick" call to the boss. But it seems parents of young children feel we all need to know how often the poor kid was up the previous night along with the exact number of times and which body part sent them running to the toilet. It's a sure fire way for me to lose my appetite for breakfast.
A close cousin of this topic is medical test updates that seem to come out of left field. Imagine reading this update: "My cervix looks good, but they want to keep an eye on it". Conjurs up some interesting images doesn't it? Just how are 'they' going to keep an eye on a cervix? On the one hand you might want to ask what the problem was that this update seems to answer, but the fear is that you'll actually be treated to an even more graphic response.
In polite society we're told to not discuss repugnant things at the table when someone is eating. Should the people who post graphic and gross descriptions of body functions and illness be held to the same rule? One could say that they have no way of knowing when any of us will be sitting down to eat or merely munching on a snack, but that is the very reason they should show consideration before posting unnecessarily graphic updates.
A good rule-of-thumb would be, if what you want to say is not appropriate for the dinner table, then it is not appropriate for social media either, at any time, food or no food. Illness, medical tests and all the related angst and anxiety is part of everyday life, and sharing what happens in our lives is the part we like the most about 'social' media. But this is one time that 'less is best'. Keep it simple - something like "I'm not feeling good today" or "I've got a sick child" will suffice. And my stomach will be a lot more settled too.
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Ah, but you have forgotten the weight loss benefit from reading graphic descriptions. Perhaps we should have people write even more descriptively. Think of this as a new diet program!
ReplyDeleteTrue...there's a silver lining in nearly everything! LOL! Thanks for commenting. :)
DeleteNot only do I love status updates with this stuff, bloggers who write on the topics of sickness and bodily functions take it to a whole new level! Thanks for bringing into the open...without getting too graphic about it.
ReplyDeleteOh wow. Guess I've missed most of those. Though I must say I've been in some health-related forums where people get pretty graphic. Sort of expected there, but there's still no reason to be so graphic. I think it's just rude...and you can read that anyway you'd like! :)
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