just ask

  I have noticed the proliferation of "groups" on Facebook. As I scroll down my news feed, on my page, my attention is drawn to photographs and brief comments. When I go to leave my own comment, I am met with that message: why do you want to join this group. I didn't say I wanted to join the group, I'm just leaving a comment. That is usually followed by a series of questions and a list of rules I need to agree to in order to post, to receive approval from the administrator(s). I view that as censorship. At the same time, I get it, you don't want to hear a bunch of sarcasm, negative comments or criticism. You are looking for polite conversation. Fair enough.

  The vast majority of these groups are innocuous, concerned only with a specific interest or hobby. They don't want to hear from those that aren't interested in that specific hobby. The only want those that may add something to the group discussion or knowledge base. You have to meet certain qualifications to be admitted. There are other groups that don't have such innocent intentions, however. Those groups are anxious to find like-minded individuals for more nefarious reasons. Sometimes it can be very difficult to tell. For that reason, I hesitate to join any group I'm not completely comfortable with. And I'm not spending hours doing my "research" before making that decision. No, I'm going mostly by my gut instinct. 

  I also have no doubt that government agencies are monitoring all these groups. I'd add if they aren't, they should be. Still, I'm confident that they are and that is just another reason to not associate yourself with those groups that are questionable. A few years back Zuckerberg pledged to depoliticize Facebook and not recommend or support political and civil groups. The narrative being the white folks are using Facebook to organize their supremacist activities. You should be careful getting your name on any of those group membership lists! Not so much for an old guy like me, but if you are a young person looking toward any sort of career in politics or civil duty you should be! Guilty by association is a very real thing. Just ask Scott Perry about that. 

 I get it, I really do, but it still annoys me this having to obtain permission to post. It just seems to me if you don't want to hear a bunch of comments, don't post anything. In the past I've had people tell me I'm not supposed to leave comments on their page. It's their page! No, it's the public domain when posted to social media. You should have no expectation of privacy or expectation of immunity from negative comments. 

 The more liberal people on Facebook often take issue with what I post. Sometimes I post stuff just to illicit that response because I'm bored. And it is so easy to do, just tell the truth and bam, heads are exploding. Doesn't take long for the "liberal" folk to devolve into name-calling maniacs. They seem to have gotten a dictionary that only contains adjectives! Even then they seem to be confused about what the word means. Think binary as an example. Many liberals reject that description when it comes to gender, thinking that genders aren't a binary thing. Fact is, there are only two genders (binary) one or the other. The same principle that allows the world's fastest super computers to operate using a binary system. It is all zeroes and ones. If it isn't this, it is that. No maybe, no could be, no it's what I feel. Just zero or one. 

 For me it's the same with Facebook. You either agree with me or you don't. I have no desire to simply block anyone that doesn't agree with me. I admit to having done so simply because I grew tired of the conversation. As for the group I administrate I haven't had any issues with anyone for quite a while now. Nothing that has led me to block them from posting further comments. It's true I haven't allowed everyone that sends a request to join. If I don't know you, know your family name, or you come recommended by someone I know personally, you're most likely declined. I created the group to connect with old friends and classmates. That is the sole focus of that group. I'm guessing anyone could leave a comment if they wanted too. I'm not sure about that. I've never got a notification that someone wanted to post and couldn't. All I get are requests to join. Should I be asking questions? Well, I was always told, just ask, it's the easiest way to get an answer. It seems the problem today is in only getting the answer you want. Now that's progress.