A Poem for 2020
A Poem for 2020
by Thomas Balzamo
The world is different than it once was,
We now speak our minds with a “tweet.”
Inhibition and reflection are utterly gone,
Words fly without being discreet.
We read and we feel about things unconfirmed,
And we share and then interact.
And we speak to the world unfiltered and raw,
Without taking time for the facts.
We develop our thoughts about the world,
From a fancy, blue game of telephone.
And the facts break down further with every share,
Until our judgement is gone.
Information then travels hither and yon,
Being debated down to the word.
And the poor truth must scramble, and beg for its life,
And for a simple chance to be heard.
We now make major life decisions,
Based on a single post we skimmed.
But it was shared by someone “important”, we think,
So we assume it's more than a whim.
But in reality if it is shared enough,
To blow up your timeline,
Popularity never turned rumor to fact,
Nor made man’s opinions Divine.
You say "believe none of the experts,”
Someone else says “believe all that are known.”
But it’s sad to say you’ve both played the fool,
Because you’ve both failed to think on your own.
You’ve dismissed wisdom because you scorn expertise,
And they because they’re too headstrong.
But both of you fail to discern the details,
Because you’re both too afraid to be wrong.
So don’t scorn expertise because you don’t have it,
Or despise common sense if you do.
Just let people be free to think for themselves,
Even if it doesn’t seem safe to you.
People will disagree with you in life,
It seems that used to be known.
Let’s get back to living with that fact,
And just leave each other alone.
This article was transferred from my previous site. Here are what others said at the time of the original writing…
“Well said! Social media these days is such a travesty. Way too many are led through false pretenses because of a desire to be “the first to know” or be socially popular. Was with family for Thanksgiving time and we saw “The Social Dilemma” video and it was pretty surreal to see the issues about social media and even some of the creators and contributors talked about the issues they began to see. I’m afraid we’re too far down the road to undo it, but maybe there’s still a solution, I don’t know.” — Roger
“Thanks! I've heard of that, but I have not seen it. I agree. I don't know that the damage social media has caused is reversible. It's changed the way people think entirely.” — Thomas