worlds collide

 I was browsing my Facebook page reading a few comments here and there and checking out the photos, when I was reminded of an episode of Seinfeld. I really did enjoy that show although discovering more about the personal politics of the actual actors did sour me a bit later on. I'm not going to get into that however. I was just reminded of the episode where George talks about " worlds " colliding. If you haven't seen it or don't remember it this is a brief synopsis. George has a girl friend that is unknown to the group. This girl friend comes from a different social class than George and the group. She wants to met his friends and George gets upset telling Jerry, worlds are colliding Jerry! I understood exactly what he was talking about and understand the humor in that. It is a similar thing to being from the wrong side of the tracks. Anyway, as I was reading some postings on Facebook I could see where worlds were colliding. I'm guessing all these people being home and having more time to be on social media has accelerated that. What I'm thinking about are, friends of friends. There are different layers of friends, from different times in our lives, sometimes in different places. Those are the worlds I'm thinking about.

 There are those we have known since childhood. Now for me  I left that home when I was 18 and have lived in many places. I have only had contact with a few friends from my early days. The majority of friends, a better choice would be acquaintances,  that knew me in high school would know little to nothing about me today. That is to say, how I turned out. Isn't that what we say? How someone turned out, like we are baked goods or something. We are talking about their political leanings, their attitudes and such. Did that person turn out the way you expected? Are they the way you remember them? And there is the question of the company they keep. It is that last consideration where social media muddies the waters. Friends of friends. 

 Who is on your friends list? Do you actually know them? I mean know who they are and what they think? I can't speak for anyone else but I sure don't. My friends list isn't very long compared to many I hear about. I recall at one time there was a sort of competition to see who could get the most friends on their list. I often see a post that purports to override some sort of logarithm inhibiting the number of friends you see, or the number that can post to your page. My point being, just because a friend of a friend that is a friend of a friend on my friends list says one thing that doesn't indicate I support that view or opinion. That is where worlds are colliding! That is where we read the unexpected. Sometimes that changes our perception of another person. If they are friends with this person and that person is saying this, they must agree with them, or they wouldn't be friends, right? No, that isn't right. Conversations and comments must be taken in context. With old friends that context may be from 1971 and with recent ones, yesterday. It's a difficult thing to discern, context. 

 Of course there is always the concept of polite company. It's a subject I have discussed in the past, what haven't I talked about. But anyway, there are things I would talk to some about that I wouldn't discuss with others. I do not use vulgar and profane language in front of ladies and children. I don't tell off color jokes to those I'm unsure of. I'm opinionated, anyone that knows me will tell you that, but I will withhold my opinion whenever I feel it is appropriate to do so. I feel it is appropriate offer mine when you offer your opinion on a particular subject first. Not everyone agrees with that. That can cause some to be caught off guard, surprised or even shocked when they learn your opinion. Worlds collide once again. 

 The biggest problem I believe is the lack of personal contact we have on social media. You can not hear the nuances in speech, the tone, the intent or the context. Sarcasm doesn't work well nor does humor. And there are those that are quick to attack with a verbal barrage at any moment. These folks wouldn't say that stuff to your face but shielded by the anonymity of Facebook, they attack. Heck I've even known some to create a fake person! That says something to me about their honesty for sure. If I have something to say I will say it. The problem becomes one of two many worlds. More commonly we call that, circles of friends. We all travel in our own little circles. In school they were called cliques. Later in life we tend to divide that up into socio-economic circles with a basis in ethnicity and culture. Yeah, birds of a feather do flock together. But when all the friends flock to the same roost conflicts occur! Also the reason we started forming little subgroups on Facebook. But even those groups gets too crowded when friends of your friends want to be friends with other friends who are friends of your friends. Then those folks read something you wrote to someone else and are shocked. I didn't know that! Too many circles, too many worlds.
 Perhaps it is best explained in this fashion. I interact with the people I go to church with differently than I do with the ones I hang out at the bat with! Same person, different worlds.