ON THE MARK

You’d be amazed at how often and easily people get riled up over some small comment or problem. Usually this would just be a small problem or a little misunderstanding, but the level of havoc that these people unleash upon themselves and others near them has recently been given a lot more attention. A joke flies over their head or the tone of sarcasm isn’t detected and that’s all it takes for an argument to start. And damn you especially if you’re trying to talk sense into any of them. They won’t hear it.

Here’s something light but still extreme. Most of us use social media sites like Facebook or Twitter, right? There are bound to be people on there who take offense to the slightest of things and feel as if they’re being singled out. A thoughtless comment attracts this people like moths to the flame. Even if the person isn’t directly involved or affiliated with a group that may or may not be attacked by someone, they’ll hardly pass up the opportunity to barge into a situation that has nothing to do with them. I won’t single out any groups online, but rest assured there are more than a few people out there who give their groups bad names.

For example, someone tries to alleviate a bad situation, say the recent death of a comedian or victim, by making a joke or relying on humor online. Humor is a great tool to use when faced with hard situations, and most everyone around the joker would see what they were doing and chuckle along. But imagine one person, or a collective group of people, misinterpreting the joke as someone making light of the situation or worse, disrespecting somebody. Whining turns to reprimands, and reprimands soon turn to threats. No physical harm could come from this online, but the group, blinded by a misunderstanding, may divulge personal information about those they do not like.

Imagine having your personal information looked through by malicious people who couldn’t lighten up. Personal records, where you live, how much you make in a year, what your email address… All of this could be sent out to the wrong types of people. Though social media goers and the like make up a tiny percentage of all internet users, they’re tenacious little buggers.

And the problems online are mere paper cuts compared to the gaping wounds created by extremist groups around the world. When one makes a move against an unpredictable group with a history of violence, anything goes. People who speak out or make the slightest comment are silenced in the street, all because a few people can’t learn to take a joke or criticism. Now that’s just a crying shame for both parties, the victims and the attackers. But it’s the attackers who need to get off their high horses and lighten up a little. Not everything is an assault to their beliefs or opinions.

Sometimes it’s all just a big misunderstanding, or worse, it’s all a figment of their imagination. Some people just want to set the world on fire if given the tiniest spark. I suppose in the end we as human beings still have a lot of work ahead of us.