The Agitators from Out of Town 

A Community Divided?

 

Maybe being human means being drawn to conflict…

We have all been there. Scrolling social media and you come across a post on the community page that has prompted 342 responses. Impassioned comment after comment flood the page. You find yourself reading every single one, trying to figure out where you land on the subject. You like a few that make sense to you and maybe you even reply yourself. Whether it be gas prices, politics or the school mascot, everyone seems to have an opinion. People are angry. Your neighbor down the block said a few nasty things to the new resident a few blocks away. His words are racist, misogynistic or worse. She doxes the original poster and now people feel unsafe. He laugh reacts to her comment. She calls that commenter a snowflake but her triggered response reveals a questionable stability.

Is this good, healthy debate? Is this simply sharing opinions? Or is this the sick game of a few former residents who hated it here so much they moved to a different state, BUT they like creating conflict so much, that they remain admins and conversation starters on these boards for their own serotonin boost. And we all, without fail, continue to give them that.

 

Community without unity?

This is not to say that we all won’t have a variety of opinions and feelings on certain subjects. I firmly believe that there is the potential for healthy debate, however, inflammatory and purposefully derisive commentary, most maliciously on social media, undermines the fabric of our community. We should not allow that negativity and hatefulness to seep into our subconscious. Especially when we are simply supplying some old guy in another state with a mildly twisted form of entertainment.

We have a responsibility to our community to be reasonable, earnest and collaborative citizens of our town. Our attitudes shape our town. Our words, written or spoken, infiltrate our streets and influence our interactions with neighbors. What would we be willing to say out loud? What would we be willing to let our children hear?

Think first.

 

So when does a community board become a political echo chamber? When does it become repulsive rhetoric? When does the proliferation of malevolent commentary negatively impact the community where you have chosen to live and raise your family?

If you want drama, turn on reality tv. If you want commUNITY, choose social media groups with a positive admin presence, a respectful tone and useful posts. Contribute to that positivity and pay no credence to or influence the algorithm to reward those who refuse to build up our community in a good and affirming way.

Here is your challenge: Delete that comment before posting. Scroll past the drama. Leave that group. Volunteer in your community. Add to the uplifting story of our town. Remember: It is up to us to CREATE the community we want to live in and raise our families. It is up to each of us to have the common sense and common courtesy to find our common ground and stand together for our East Islip community.