Unintentionally Antisocial Media

People tend to have very specific ideas about what is and what isn't acceptable in today's hyper-socialized society. This is even truer on social media, which has more often than not garnered me the moniker, "antisocial."

'But wait! I wasn't trying to be antisocial! I just stepped in something because I didn't know the rules! (That could be one of the reasons I spent $160 a couple months back for a pair of Muck Boots.)

Remember the world's top social media website, Facebook? Beyond the fact of being considered the "fifth largest country in the world," its effect upon me has been more like In-Your-Face Book. My relationship with Facebook has been an on again/off again, love/hate relationship, since I tend to anger people just by being honest.

What's all the hubbub? Well, for starters, online (or social media) writing has introduced me to some rules of English with which I was unaware. Apparently, WRITING IN ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED SCREAMING!!! I used to write a few things in all caps for the purpose of grabbing the attention of my readers.

MY BAD!!! ;)

With apologies to the atheists in the audience, this next part will only make sense if you are at least aware of my realm of faith in God. (Again, I have mentioned God, which is a sure-fire way to be labeled, "antisocial.")

One of the reasons why I often use all caps for certain words is due to the fact, that that is how they are written in the King James Version of the Bible, which was given to me at age six and which I have been reading ever since then.

The title, LORD, is written in all caps in the KJV with the caveat being the use of one regular-sized capital "L" and the rest of the caps being reduced in pica to the approximate size of lower-case letters. Sadly, I don't know how to change font sizes in most typing windows, but I'm not sure it would make much difference for most people, who seem to feel better about themselves by labeling me, "antisocial."

The title, GOD, has the same writing issues associated with it. Ergo, when I write a word somehow related to GOD in my poetry and in my prose, I usually capitalize at least the first letter. This gets me labeled either "antisocial" or "a very poor writer."

I have learned to tone down my capitalization penchant for the purpose of increasing the readability of the thoughts I write. (Besides, I have come to believe the Lord is not nearly so easily offended as humans are. The message is important, and He is quite secure in His own Person.) ;)

What else sets people to varying levels of concern? Hmmm... Well, I tend to comma-tize (as opposed to traumatize) my poetry. A few years ago it was quite the tradition for me to end the first three lines of my poetic verses with a comma, and the last line with an exclamation point, (whether it needed it or not) on every verse. (That still happens occasionally in weak moments. Default pattern, apparently...)

That's Jay! He just cranks 'em out!
A-B-A-B rhyme scheme,
iambic tetrameter/iambic trimeter/iambic tetrameter/iambic trimeter,
comma, comma, comma, exclamation point!

This leads right into the song, "Comma, comma, comma, chameleon..."

As some are already aware I am not averse to writing in verse, but this time the prose knows. My desire is never to be antisocial, but the social ramifications of online writing rules have been learned by me at least in some rather adverse ways.

Honesty is not always the best policy, but lying is never acceptable either. Ergo, I have learned that most people online want you to honestly state what they believe, using the correct, albeit often unwritten, rules of social engagement.

Now, at times you may really feel obligated to state your personal beliefs, especially when directly requested to do so. Just use the best social writing rules you have been able to thus far ferret-out like a blind man in a maze (apologies to the sight-challenged.)

Some can take a joke.
Some can take the truth.

However, to borrow that great line from A Few Good Men some "can't handle the truth!"

On the other hand it could be like Forrest Gump, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get."

I think I've gotten a few important rules for writing and a few unintentionally-earned lumps on the head, socially-speaking.

Live and learn...