Why It’s Good To Be The Asshole - Social Media Explorer
Why It’s Good To Be The Asshole
Why It’s Good To Be The Asshole
by

Perhaps it’s that the news of the day bothers me more now since I have to explain a lot of it to the inquiring minds of my children. Maybe I’m getting more cranky in my old(er) age. Or it could be that I just like a good fight. Whatever the reason, I seem to have gotten into more debates and discussions about social issues and politics lately on my social networks.

Whether its gun control (I’m for it), prejudice (I’m against it) or government interference (generally against that, too, even though it somewhat contradicts the first entry in this list), it seems I’ve been involved in a few fights of late. I am now even blocked on Facebook by a family member because I was throwing snarky comments in a few of her posts. Seems she uses her personal account like a business account and didn’t find me funny since potential clients could see the comments.

Too bad she didn’t have a relative who could help her figure that mechanism out a little better. Heh.

Generally, I don’t pay much attention to people who get aggravated with my opinions and such. Social media has been, is and will always be 100 percent optional and opt-in. If you don’t care for someone’s content or perspective, you can unfollow. And despite what your instincts tell you, doing so is not bad, wrong or negative.

Keep in mind that I don’t typically espouse my opinions as if I’m right and everyone else is wrong. I have some decorum and tact about how I voice things. In fact, I am attracted to intelligent discourse on any subject, am happy to admit when I’m wrong and am generally fair and polite.

But I still get under people’s skin sometimes.

Keeping an asshole or two around helps you stay grounded, centered and probably sane.

The secret to being comfortable with that is knowing without the occasional asshole in the room, nothing pushes the thinking. Eli Pariser’s outstanding book The Filter Bubble warns what will happen if we carve out homogenous networks. To summarize: If you surround yourself with like-minded people and only like-minded people, you never learn or grow. You also become more isolated and fearful of that which isn’t like you.

Keeping an asshole or two around helps you stay grounded, centered and probably sane.

Certainly, my relative can read me the riot act about how she shouldn’t have to ask a relative to respect her business and the clientele who might see my comments, even if she’s using her personal profile inappropriately. And sure, there are moments when I let my arrogance about a certain issue get the best of me and overstep my bounds. (I almost always apologize when that happens.) But more often than not, I’ll proudly wear the badge of Asshole in the Room.

With it, someone is pushing the thinking. Someone is denying the same old, same old. And there is inherent value there.

In the words of Gary Larson, “Wait! Wait! Listen to me! … We don’t HAVE to be just sheep.”

SME Paid Under

About the Author

Jason Falls
Jason Falls is the founder of Social Media Explorer and one of the most notable and outspoken voices in the social media marketing industry. He is a noted marketing keynote speaker, author of two books and unapologetic bourbon aficionado. He can also be found at JasonFalls.com.

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