Facebook: No holds barred?

Ready, aim...      (Photo by Sir Stig)

Under a cloak of perceived anonymity, people tend to say and do things that they wouldn’t face-to-face.

Ironically, “Facebook” has often become such a venue.  Acting as a crossroads for virtual friendships, it fosters a sort of “instant intimacy” in which participants can let it all hang out.

Case in point:  the recent firing of "seven Muslim employees over unscheduled prayer breaks” at Ariens Company in Brillion, Wisconsin.  This, in and of itself, is food for critical thinking, as well as for possible legal recourse.

Some Facebook users, however, used the unfortunate situation as a jumping-off point for their own prejudice and rage.  Ariens Company President Dan Ariens recently noted:  People in the Facebook world say things they shouldn’t.  Most of the negativity is aimed at the Muslim population, and I am more worried about that than our business.

Whatever his motives, Ariens' point is well-taken.  Whether idle gossip about so-called friends (and family members, to boot), or persecuting statements about total strangers, Facebook entries often breed private discomfort and public humiliation.

Resources

http://www.jsonline.com/business/ariens-co-fires-seven-muslim-employees-over-unscheduled-prayer-breaks-b99663936z1-367535761.html 

Copyright February 5, 2016 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved