Facebook shenanigans

What is it with people and Facebook? It sometimes seems to bring out the worst in people, luring them to air their dirty linen in public and turn their private issues into a show for virtual voyeurs.

I just don't get those people who choose to make a public statement that they are now single (unless of course the declaration is just another way of advertising that their wares are once again available for sale) or who wish their nearest and dearest a happy birthday or happy anniversary or whatever on their wall. Surely they can tell their loved ones face-to-face or at least on the phone? Facebook is supposed to keep us in touch with those people we do not see regularly, not substitute regular communication with those we meet and interact with on a day-to-day basis.

And what's with the hundreds of thousands of photos that people put online? Sure, I have been known to upload a photo or two to show off my kids' exploits (nothing more boring than a doting mama), but I have seen people upload entire slideshows depicting every sight they saw during their last holiday, every meal they ate and every other remotely interesting thing that came within camera range of their mobile phone. It has clearly become a compulsion with some people - they have to announce to the world where they are, what they are doing and what they look like doing it. It is almost as though they actually experience what they are doing through their interactions on Facebook, as opposed to just doing their thing.

Irritating as all the above may be, what gets the ticket is the fact that people tend to swallow everything they see on Facebook hook, line and sinker without bothering to check the facts or ascertain whether there is the slightest grain of truth in the story whatsoever. They forward pictures with quotes by celebrities or well-known personalities when the people in question would never have said any such thing. They forward claims or stories that are clearly hoaxes, causing damage to companies and brands - even though it only takes a few seconds to Google the story and check its veracity. And to top it all off, they post and share videos, articles and claims that foment hatred and racism without taking a second to think about the impact of what they are doing.

This morning I logged onto Facebook, and the first thing to come up on my wall was a horrible video of a young woman being stoned to death. It was terrible, and I could not bear to watch it, but I read the heading and the comments under the video, and I was appalled at the sheer hatred and vitriol that people were spewing about their fellow human beings.

That girl is a Muslim and she is being stoned for falling in love with the wrong guy, they proclaimed. Muslims are monsters, Muslims are scum - they are evil and do not deserve to walk on this earth, etc. And I quote:

"Bastards, sick animals this is what they are, they will never change, these people want to be under a dictator, these people want to live in the dark ages of Mohammed..."

"God help me but what is wrong with these people??? In the name of all that is holy stop this horror!!!!! And yes, if it requires the wrath of God in whatever form then so be it. These people are evil."

"These ppl are animals and this is what they want the rest of the world to look like, if we don't rid our selfs of them now they will have they're way"

"Will probably be coming to a neighbourhood near you pretty soon!!!!!!!!"

"If "Allah hu Akbar" permits this extreme cruelty then f**k you "Allah hu Akbar"

I checked out the story on trusty Google, and sure enough, the whole premise of the hatefest was incorrect. The girl's name was Du'a Khalil Aswad, a 17-year-old Iraqi Kurd of the Yazidi faith, who was stoned to death in an honour killing. She was not stoned by Muslims - she was stoned by people of a totally different faith. To top it all off, she was stoned because of a rumour that she had converted to Islam - hence if anything this was a case of an atrocity committed TO a Muslim, not BY a Muslim.

Now I am not saying that the stoning was not a horrific incident and that it should not be condemned. However posting the video on Facebook and portraying it as an atrocity perpetrated by Muslims and using it to foment hatred towards all those who follow Islam is just not on. Anyone posting such a disturbing video should have the decency to check the facts before leading the rampage in a virtual lynching of all things Muslim!

I interjected in the barrage of insults and exclamation marks that were posted under the video and explained that there was a misunderstanding and that in fact the video was a depiction of religious persecution of Muslims... however it did not make an iota of difference. Clearly the haters simply did not care about the truth and the facts. All they cared about was having an excuse to vent their hatred.

So, much as Facebook has taken the world by storm and helped us to stay in touch, it has also made it possible for an ever-widening circle of people to witness our narcissism - and more worryingly our racism. Hatred is filling our walls, and if we are not careful, our hearts.