Is free speech truly free? Before you turn the page, this is not someone spread right wing Rhetoric about your freedoms being stripped from us. No this is about how in America we have a right to speak , but there are consequences and being held accountable for spreading hate and this goes for other countries outside the U.S.

The connected world

We truly live in a connected world via social media and the internet, which is wonderful thing but it has lead to the most divisive times as people sit behind their websites, their blogs, their social media handles and make choices to spread hate and spew misinformation and in essence they have that right. But why do we as a civilized society listen intently to those who lie to us knowing they are lying only wishing to get a reaction from us, get more followers, likes and reposts. We are all not innocent but culpable. You may say well I am not doing anything just liking a comment, but liking a comment seen by your followers and the world in a way.

We live in what I believe to be the most divisive times in history. For Many who are older than me, maybe you would say and see that differently. But growing up in 80’s, 90’s and today. I have seen society change in such a drastic way. Yes, there was always violence, murders, and the mistreatment of each other, but it appears to be getting worse.

Social Media has been the destruction of us!

I unfortunately blame social media as a main culprit as I do not believe we had these times like today before social media. I don’t want to say well back in my day things were simpler, but in reality they were.

I know each generation will have a series of their own problems that they will have to deal with from both an international and national level.

Over time I have seen myself grow angrier over what I have seen and have seen the softness of myself change over time, part of that is growing up. Now I will say I do not hate anyone but I can see how someone who constantly is in social media especially platforms like Twitter and Facebook can go down the rabbit hole of hate finding it in many places.

If you have been following the news, the world now knows the Elon Musk is in control of Twitter having purchased the platform for forty-four billion dollars. He truly believes and many others that our free speech is at risk but is it really.

There is Never a reason to be Hateful

I believe now it just gives many a reason to be hateful, racist without being blocked, banned and suspended. There are of course other platforms like YouTube that monitors its content, many hate that people get blocked for saying racist hateful things. What is sad that people are so comfortable saying those things. Now you may say well I don’t say those things on those sites, I go just to connect with friends and family, I go to get my news, I got to build my brand. All good reasons to go, but many go to spread disinformation, spread hate and division and its allowed at times.

I will say I have NO society media accounts, I even removed LinkedIn because I started to see the site grow into another Facebook and no longer a professional networking site.

Some of you may feel I am taking these sites too seriously and I don’t have to read the comments, read the posts or even engage. You are right I don’t have to, so what is the true point of having them. I personally only have my blog now and you folks and that is enough.

I think that we have grown into a society that is no longer governed by decency and civility. Ill admit that people need to respect others much more, but it starts with all of us. It starts with accepting people’s views and beliefs especially political beliefs which in the U.S. is almost impossible. I am made to feel like some monster by just speaking about political views like I am some baby killer, murderer which I am not, Not saying which way I lean because I really have no political beliefs, I could care less about politics, but I know many people do and its important.

We Live in a celebrity culture and it’s a mess

We have already seen the impact celebrities like “Ye” have on speech and Donald Trump and others who find antisemitism perfect ok actually making excuses that the man is mentally ill and we should excuse his behavior and to just move along.

For most of us who are not celebrities If we were even act in a small fashion like “YE” we would be fired from our jobs, but many today act in those manner even proudly.

Hate of any kind is wrong and we should not be falling for it, disengage from it. That does not mean don’t care, but we MUST defend civility in our societies. Often many are find it acceptable in society when it should never be acceptable. The sad fact is that we have dealt with this type of hate before especially during World War II and the Holocaust.

Some of you may be thinking what the point of this is to tell us what we already know, YES. It’s because we know not to Hate, discriminate, spread lies and disinformation, but many do and do it with impunity, STOP IT.

My Faith Sustains me to be Better each day, But I am not Perfect

As a man of faith and with a strong belief in GOD, it’s hard because you see it so often with whose who preach to be good Christians, yet they spread hate against their fellow man, women and child its disgusting forming the opinion people who have strong faiths cannot be trusted or believed, but that is a part of the lie today. There are other lies and conspiracies that continue to do farm in QAnon which I have never felt the need to learn about because I honestly feel that would just destroy my brain cells, not literally.

As for myself I go to my two jobs, work and teach part time, take care of the family, learn to be a better man of GOD and take care of my god given family. I choose not to involve myself with lies, spreading them, but trying to speak a truth in my Joe Meyer Creatives , Just Talk with Joe Meyer Podcast and Just Talk with Joe Meyer Vlog.

I often believe Art imitates life as I think of the masterpiece book “1984” by George Orwell, how relative it is to today’s times. But in general, that people just need to read more, stay offline and get back to basics.

I know this piece may seem like I am ranting on things many of us know about, but we choose not to. I think it’s important to self-reflect on our choices and actions each day. How we speak to one another, how we think of others and show respect. I know not everyone will show us respect and that is ok, its important to be the better person by showing kindness and respect. If others do not respect your way of life, your beliefs, your values then pay them no attention and move on, to each their own.

Let’s all be Better versions of ourselves each day

Let’s continue to be better each day, despite what is going on in the world, because frankly life is short and who wants to spend life hating others because we never know when our last day will be here on earth. Love one another and live in peace.

As many of us try to navigate this changing country and world lets remember we have a choice. A choice to speak kindness to those around us. A choice to live a life to focus on the good like friends and family and a choice not to engage in the rhetoric of today.