#Sour
I often start my blog posts on here with a Google searched reference. Let’s face it, Google and Wikipedia are the places to go to for stuff you used to look up in your dictionary, thesaurus or encyclopaedia.
Here’s the Google Dictionary referencing for the word “sour”:
It’s the second one I’m interested in for a few reasons. The thing about nasty, spiteful, fractious, disagreeable, crabby and the like. You know, that miserable, negative stuff.
I’ve been wondering why I haven’t spent as much time for a couple of years on Twitter. And it is because it became sour. Sour with Br*xit; Tr*mp and other bilge.
I was though, on other platforms more than I used to be and there appeared to be a LOT less sourness on those.
Why? Because I have more carefully curated the connections I have on there. People I’ve met overseas, old friends and new.
Twitter is my “train station” and other platforms had become my “playground”.
Echo chamber accusations welcome but frankly, I get enough “difference” still so no, thank you. Even if it is the case, it’s my echo chamber and that’s how I like it. Go follow Morrisey or Hopkins if you really want to. I’d rather stick a pin in my eye than read that infuriating drivel just to “diversify my feed”.
Now, Cambridge Analytica aside, Facebook has been useful to me this past little while. Twitter has been infuriating.
I suppose, you might be thinking, “you could put some of this right with some careful muting, unfollowing and the like”. And yes I could and I did. But the bilge was still seeping through on there so I withdrew. I posted less, I scoured it less for worthy news.
And then 2 things happened. Mark Hendy’s brilliant #HRHour got me back into Twitter chats. Awesome stuff.
And then today this super smart tweet from the super smart and humble Hung Lee hit me.
I just dove back into Twitter and tweeted a few things and a picture of my new shoes. For some reason I got my Twitter mojo back. Why was this?
I think I realised, I’ve had enough of avoiding the sour by “detoxing”; and instead, I’m just going back to doing what I believe is best for my Twitter “presence”.
I’ve had enough of my own misdirection tactic because of the sourness. Instead I’m going to look sour in the eye and go “whatever”.
Sarcastic, nasty, petty, put-downs have been rife on Twitter probably forever but I noticed it more over the period June-November 2016. I guess I’ve backed off of Twitter since then and never got the urge to go back in.
I tested myself tonight; I looked at some sourness and shook my head, laughed it off and realised how those sour posts are from sour people. I felt no longer angry about their sourness, but a little more pity, sadness and wondering about them. Why they have the feeling that they need to pour vinegar all over someone else’s banoffee pie.
Spoilers. People being like that, are just downright spoilers.
Like the nasty Head of Sixth Form who tipped your Cheesy Wotsits out onto the playground floor to show his mates how tough he was.
That the sour spoilers have to post something inflammatory, nasty or crabby says a lot about how they view the world. Cynically, protestingly, perhaps even sanctimoniously. But sadly. Negatively. Pessimistically.
They probably think anyone who isn’t acerbic, sharp-witted and takes things/people down is a happy-clappy, trendy-type who eats quinoa and wears jeans that are far too high up the leg, because everyone else does “yet they’re trying to be different and hip.”
Well, they’re probably just being who they want to be. They’re attempting to de-sour the world in their own little way. By enjoying life. And that might include silly posts on Twitter you don’t like. So they’re like you, except the opposite. You know, they’re not miserable disagreeables.
Now, I’m not advocating for “everyone’s in a love-in” and some kind of Miss World contestant “world peace” faux mantra. I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t be outraged at some of the unbelievably despicable stuff people post on Twitter.
I am suggesting a stop to tearing down people’s playhouses, on, frankly, stuff that isn’t that important. By thinking this:
- You’re not toughening them up, you’re shutting them down.
- You’re not being clever with your sharp-tongued wit, you’re pissing people off and looking like a dismissible know-all.
- And you’re not being bold and brave with your attacks on stuff you don’t happen to like, you’re being a crabby, dull, pain-in-the-arse to see pop into others’ timelines.
I’m sure we’ve all heard the “if you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all” adage. And of course, that doesn’t really wash if you want to take on Tiki-torch wielding “white supremacists”. Some sh*t needs calling out.
Therefore I would like to refer you to Michelle Wolf. And this piece.
Someone who, until recently, I’d never heard of. And then she was the guest host/comedy turn at the White House Press Correspondents dinner. It’s a tradition — apparently — to have some really near-the-knuckle (if not completely outrageous) figure who puts down others in the name of comedy.
And I’ve watched her performance and I’ve seen the follow up outrage.
Those who are often calling mild-mannered, inclusive people “snowflakes” were acting like the cry-babies they say “leftist elitists” are.
She took on the true elite (IMHO) with her well-scripted attacks. She was unrelenting. Leaving no element of recent political scandals and outrageous behaviour and words out of her repertoire.
None of that was sour though. The reaction, I think, was sour.
So there’s a difference. Between taking on something outrageous, despicable and improper, to some “tame banter” that actually is just plain sour.
You may have experienced sourness. Had people snub you in a bitter, resentful way. You may have experienced some unwarranted attack on your thoughts, beliefs, even as lame as your favourite music or food stuffs being posted on line.
That’s just someone being SOUR.
Spiteful. Objectionable. Unpleasant. Resentful.
Mute them, block them, unfollow them from your timeline and life. Sweeten your posts with those who provide fructose for your soul.
For as Hung Lee says, “we need to get better at tech, not retreat from it”.
