Different Strokes for Different Folks

In this era of extremism it often feels like people have completely forgotten that old saying about different strokes for different folks.

I know I've been talking about this rather a lot recently, but I wonder how we got into this frame of mind where we are so intolerant of anybody who perceives the world differently from us and lives their lives in ways differently from the way we live our lives.

From where I'm sitting, there are actually certain things about left-wing "libtards" and right wing conservative extremists that seem remarkably similar. Top of that list seems to be an unwillingness to entertain any points of view different from their own, no matter how open-minded they may claim to be.

Part of what I personally find frustrating is that conversations often aren't about an exchange of ideas and finding common ground anymore, conversations have become contests that have to be won or lost. But a conversation isn't a competition it's a connection!

But that almost feels like an obsolete way of looking at life.

But how much of it is actually real?

People are so wrapped up in page views and social media followers that you have to wonder whether the majority of the vitriolic spewage is more about seeking audience than about sharing authentically held opinions.

One of my favorite YouTubers — an American who has lived in the UK for 13 years — recently dedicated an entire episode of his podcast purely to exploring and critiquing the practice of people "spreading doom for page views."

He was specifically referring to several travel bloggers and documentary producers who were very obviously misinforming in their podcasts about "how dangerous and unsafe" it is to visit the city of London... which is, with the exception of a few tiny pockets, an incredibly safe large city.

In his "exposé" he'd actually gone to the trouble of locating several landmarks and streets shown in videos, and showed how a number of clips had been altered (in post production) to show something not even there... like store signs changed from English to Arabic, and several streets not even being in London, although stated to be in London!

Pure fear-mongering.

Sadly, many people in the fear-mongering trade don't want to be told they they are the purveyors of pure bullshit. I suppose nobody does, really. But I'd like to think I'm at least open to the possibility of learning something and changing my mind, if I am being shown solid evidence to the contrary of what I thought was true.

But then things immediately get tricky because the sources we use to verify fact might be compromised, themselves. Which brings me full circle back to what I was complaining about a couple of days ago, namely that we waste so much time verifying information these days that it's almost not worth trying to stay informed!

With all that said, it's unlikely that I'm actually going to change my online patterns.

Since I substantially depend on my online work as a means of making a living, I will invariably be exposed to all manners of garbage everyday. Maybe I'm just excessively altruistic in holding the belief that I should point out when something clearly is not true. Not speaking up feels a bit like knowing that there is a toxic spill at the beach... but not warning people who come down there that they shouldn't go swimming.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your visit and I hope you have a great week ahead!

Comments, feedback and other engagement is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation! I do my best to answer comments, even if it sometimes takes a few days!

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Created at 2026.02.11 14:05 PST
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