The Boy Who Cried Outraged

Unless you grew up under a rock (no offense to Fraggle children everywhere), you grew up on the Aesop Fable of The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

In case you ARE a Fraggle (say hi to Red for me!!), the general gist is that the boy kept lying and crying wolf so often that…when the wolf really DID attack…no one listened.

The obvious lesson to children was, “Don’t lie if you want to be believed later.”

Which is a solid lesson for kids.

But what if we revisited this story for adults on social media? Maybe there’s another lesson here.

If you’re always yelling about something, people stop listening.

I know…I know…where are you going with this, Sheri?!?

How many people do you know who use social media as a platform for outrage?

<insert topic> is happening and I am outraged!!

*next week* <insert new topic> I AM OUTRAGED. 

*next week* NEW TOPIC. I AM OUTRAGED.

75% of the time the topic is a legitimate world concern.

But…if you’re always outraged…your outrage shows zero societal impact because people stopped listening.

I have friends who keep their opinions to private discussions beyond the issues they are fully passionate about. When those people share outrage on social media, I listen. Others listen. Their words carry impact and wisdom…and maybe a new viewpoint and a chance for growth.

I have friends who are soldiers for ALLLLLLLLLL the world’s woes on social media. Their attention span is so all over the place…rather than feel like we can make a change, I feel like we need Adderall and earplugs…they complain so loudly about a new topic every week…I don’t hear a sincere desire to change anything over a sincere desire to just be heard and to feel “woke”.

The boy cried outraged so many times, the villagers never came out to help…and the boy and his causes are eaten up by cat memes.

The end.