Socially acceptable

I hate social media for many reasons: The way it's virtually enslaved people to their devices, degraded person-to-person communication and relationships, extracts people's information, detaches people from the reality outside of their device, skews and distorts perception of reality, negatively effects behavioural traits like courtesy and manners, given rise to the fear of missing out, fractured the family unit, led people to exposing too much of themselves emotionally and physically which is forever, the fact it's caused people to be so entitled, the fake news and propaganda and a lot of other reasons. The way it's changed society is shit and not for the better in my opinion.

I spent some time with a friend recently and we were talking about what we considered socially acceptable behaviours and traits and over the coffee catch up she and I listed a few do's and do not's and talked them over. I thought I'd put some of them here and open up the chance for discussion, agreement and disagreement, and for others to share some they feel may be important; it's not an exhaustive list of course, just one or two things:

• Show restraint and discipline
• Don't brag and big-note oneself
• Use please, thank you and excuse me
• Don't litter including cigarette butts
• Don't stare or leer at others in public
• Don't be a fucken asshole keyboard warrior
• Don't have loud speaker-phone calls in public
• Don't talk or use phones in the movie theatre
• Use turn signals when turning and changing lanes
• Understand that you don't always have to be right
• Understand that you are definitely not always right
• Don't interrupt people mid sentence when they are talking
• Understand that not everyone has to or will agree with you
• Respect people's space and their wishes and that no means no
• Don't automatically blame others, take responsibility and ownership
• Understand that you're probably not the smartest person in the room
• Don't leave someone hanging with their hand extended for a handshake
• Treat wait/service staff and shop attendants with respect and courtesy
• Demonstrate that you value and respect other people's time by being punctual
• Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing (I fucken hate people who don't)
• Return the items you borrow in the same (or better) shape)than you borrowed them
• Don't block public pathways and access when standing around chatting or on the phone
• Believe in yourself rather than attaching your feeling of relevance and validation to material things

I know not everyone will agree, or care, and that so many people are brainwashed into thinking that social media is enriching their lives that they're blind to the dangers but it's a fact that the dangers exist and that society seems to be bogged down in the quagmire of smelly shit that is social media. I also know that some of you may agree with me and with some or all of those items on the list above.

So, here's your chance to make a comment (below) and to add something to the list, give your reasons why things have gotten so out of hand, explain why you think social media is the best thing since sliced bread, push up bras and mini skirts, or even to tell a story about something on that list and how it's effected you...but only if you want to.