Social media can be a cesspool, this much is true. But lately, it’s the predictability that gets me. The blatant toxicity as people scurry into their established respective camps to dig in and defend whatever the accepted perspective of the day might be.

Which leads me to the question at the root of it all — does anyone have a genuine take on anything anymore, or is it simply a matter of following the masses? The instant any major ‘news’ breaks, it’s become fairly easy to call who will fall in line where, how the narratives will evolve, and even what ‘evidence’ will be used as ammunition in the fight.

And for what? With the slim exception of those willing to engage in adult dialogue, I think it’s safe to say no one’s opinion on anything of relevance has ever been altered by diving into the deep end of a war of words on any social media platform.

And yet, there are those who continue to engage. Those who feel the need to comment, to quote, to draw those who dissent into battle. And, on the other end of the spectrum, those who stalwartly claim to be taking the high road by sitting out the discussion, or — my absolute favorite, ‘signing off all social media.’ As if, by doing so, they’re asserting some sort of moral superiority over the situation. Hardly.

Silence speaks volumes, yes. But those who feel the need to publicly announce their silence… well, there’s simply not enough words to dissect the hypocrisy there.

No one seems to recognize there’s a third option — simply abstaining from fueling the toxicity; observing, evaluating, and having enough self control to measure your response {if compelled} in a way that doesn’t instantly trigger flashbacks to the elementary school playground.

I’ve often been told that my opinion on any number of things remains a mystery. And that’s intentional. Because, unless I know someone well enough to respect their approach to conversations surrounding potentially controversial topics, well, they simply don’t deserve to hear my thoughts. Nor am I going to lower myself into a debate with complete strangers on the internet for so-called ‘bragging rights.’

Case in point — as it’s no secret that I’ve become something of an avid follower of Johnny Depp, I’ve found myself circulating in certain communities that, needless to say, have fairly strong opinions on all things JD. Court findings, sure. But also photos posted, fan interactions, artistic works ranging from film to music to paintings… all par for the course. But, not to the degree that it dissolves into infighting and black and white assertions. And this, from a group of fierce ‘loyalists’ who claim to be on the same side.

Do I have my own takes? Absolutely. Do they rank higher than anyone else’s? Not at all. Do I feel the need to share them? Only in the most carefully worded, nuanced of circumstances — and even then, with the full expectation they’ll be taken out of context, intentionally or not.

Now, escalate that same practice to the world of politics and social justice and issues of far more dire importance, and you’ve got the world we live in. Social media is but a microcosm of this large-scale dynamic we continue to feed. {side note: ‘dynamic’ just autocorrected to ‘sandbox,’ and the irony in me was tempted to leave it in}.

So, yeah. That’s my hot take. My somewhat predictable rant on the evils of the very platforms I’m currently sharing this column on. Do I worry I might offend? Nah. The biggest perpetrators are too busy duking it out in the comments section on some other thread.

Cheers to those who silently observe. I see you, and I salute you.