I’ve seen a couple of examples recently of some pretty nasty Twitter activity. I don’t know why people feel the need to be anything other than supportive and encouraging of those sharing their personal experiences of living with diabetes and trying to connect in a positive way.
And I certainly don’t know why anyone would want to attack another person because of the way they are choosing to manage their condition – a condition that just plain sucks most of the time. This isn’t about us all agreeing and having the same ideas. Cookie-cutter diabetes is just not a thing. (Now I want a cookie.)
Diversity of opinions is one of the reasons I actually love social media. I really do like to consider things from different perspectives and hear how and why people do things the way they do. Reading about new ideas and perspectives are a great and productive way to consider what I am doing with my diabetes management and decide if perhaps there is something else I could be doing, or something I could be doing differently.
But I would never think that just because someone is doing something different to me they are doing it wrong. And I would never, ever attack someone for what they believe. Slight disclaimer – anti-vaxxers and people spreading false information about health conditions. (Sarah Wilson – I’ve been spending a lot of time really loving myself and I still have autoimmune shit going on. Please explain.)
So, I’m going to just gently park this here.
Be nice. Really. Be nice. And remember that this journey called diabetes that we are on is not all smooth sailing. And making waves by being nasty to people is not helping anyone.
I should add that these sorts of incidents are isolated. For the most part, Twitter is full of people who support and encourage and lift each other up. And for that, I am eternally grateful.
Friday funkiness comes from the legendary Tower of Power. A couple of years ago, we arrived in San Francisco and two hours later, we were at the Alameda County Fair listening to these guys on stage. No better way to get over jet lag!
It’s the Friday before a long weekend and this chicken is looking forward to three days of nothing! I’ll be back on Tuesday for #DBlogCheck day.
Diabetogenic 
4 comments
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March 6, 2015 at 9:06 pm
Julie Unruly
So true, Renza. For some reason, diabetes management can often seem to provoke the same fervent response in people as religion and politics. I’m fairly new to Twitter so I haven’t come across any example of it there (yet). But Facebook, on the other hand, is rife with it. I’ve had to leave a few groups because I disliked the opinionated, bullying nature of some posters, with often very little intervention by moderators. People are entitled to their opinion and I always welcome open and honest debate but there’s no reason why those opinions can’t be shared respectfully.
By the way, I loved the Sarah Wilson blog. That was the first blog from you i’d read and you hooked me straight away! But really, I don’t think you’re embracing the ‘love yourself’ philosophy hard enough. If you send me your bank details and a cheque for unlimited funds, we can work on a fulfilling pathway to a unique journey and together we can learn to nurture humanity and overcome the self hatred that causes autoimmune conditions. 😉
My randomly generated quote today, “Your consciousness is the path to unparalleled joy.”
What’s yours?
http://www.wisdomofchopra.com/
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March 6, 2015 at 9:27 pm
RenzaS
Oh that’s fun! Mine is ‘Imagination exists as existential destiny’.
Thanks for your comment. I’ll send you that cheque!!
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March 7, 2015 at 2:03 am
cdlefevre85
I have noticed the same thing lately. Especially a very heated argument on Facebook last week. I don’t get it. Something in the air?
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March 7, 2015 at 9:42 am
Glen
Boil it down and what are you left with, sadly yet again it is online-bullying. I would love to know how many of the nasty posters also sit online and complain again and again about how health care professionals have a ‘one size fits all’ approach to diabetes management. Are they not expecting that what they do is the only way and it will work for everyone, come on! The ONLY person that has the right to sit in judgement of an individuals management is the person themselves and hopefully it is the judgement/modify/improve cycle and not the judgement/guilt(still battling that one here) cycle many of us develop.
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