ambreewell

[ambreewell]

Gender and Social Media

I am choosing to elaborate a bit on gender and how it is not only discussed but also portrayed on social media. I can’t even count the number of memes I’ve seen that say things like, “Girls do this...” or “Guys only want this...” or something of that nature. While they’re often times funny, the majority of us that look and laugh at these memes don’t even realize the influence they may be having on us. We’ve been conditioned to be stereotypical by lumping all girls or all guys into one group and assuming they all think the same way and conduct themselves the same way. Memes are probably the easiest way to influence us. While the creators may not have that intention, the result is nevertheless a tool used to condition our thinking. I’m guilty of it just as everyone else is. I mentioned before how I typically do not like feminists. However, I have to keep in mind that not all feminists are outrageous, and some have a good heart with good intentions. I laugh really hard at a lot of anti-feminist posts and memes, but they may be very upsetting to some people, and in some cases, could be classified as trolling. What we need to keep in mind is that input equals output. The more content we feed into our minds, the more we’ll be influenced by it. I’m not suggesting we get off social media or the internet altogether, but rather that we filter the content we’re consuming. If certain memes or humor are affecting my opinion a bit too much or causing me to be stereotypical, I should consume less of it, or replace it with something that’s better for me. Social media and the internet are amazing tools that can be so effective for generating human relationship, and that’s why we should aim to use them responsibly and appropriately.

[ambreewell]

This is a short and interesting watch. It gives you a more open mind when it comes to expressing opinions via the internet, and it’s eye-opening because it shows us how internet trolling has to be dealt with. Most of us would like to have a place where we can freely express our opinions and values, but it’s no secret that internet trolls often ruin that ability for everybody. The mayor of Kalamazoo, David Anderson, makes an excellent statement at the end to address this issue.

[ambreewell]

This is funny because a lot of the people behind hateful comments on Xbox live are about this kid’s age, but I think this meme in particular makes light of the fact that most internet trolls are actually adults, and it’s a much worse problem than is being reflected in this meme. In fact, this meme makes you think it’s a joke, but internet trolling is anything but funny.

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/843158361470208628/

[ambreewell]

"Just one person waking up cranky can create a spark and, because of discussion context and voting, these sparks can spiral out into cascades of bad behavior. Bad conversations lead to bad conversations. People who get down-voted come back more, comment more and comment even worse."

Jure Leskovec

[ambreewell]

I will admit that I’m a female that is rather anti-feministic. I am extremely frustrated by what seems to be bottomless hypocrisy involved in many recent feminist movements. While this woman normally annoys me a lot, I have to commend her for being honest. Once you’re ready and willing to admit fault and recognize areas in which you’re a hypocrite, you’re either maturing as a person, or becoming more trustworthy. If people with differing opinions and viewpoints could recognize and admit to their weaknesses, we would all have a better chance of getting along, and this applies to me as well. I know I’m a hypocrite when I drive. I normally would want nothing to do with this woman, but after reading this article, I would be willing to sit down and have a conversation with her. She is using her podcast as a way to still express her viewpoints, but is welcoming to any and all listeners, and being very transparent about who she is and the way she lives her life. I think that’s all we can ask for.