On the Nature of Social Media Pandemics, or... One Socialized "Friendship" Inevitably Leads to Another

That's the thing about people, you know. You make (or simply maintain a friendship with) one person, and that at first seemingly harmless social interaction often leads to being forced, or otherwise obliged, to interact with a whole host of others that you may actually end up wishing you hadn't gotten involved with in the first place.

Which can all turn out to be great, of course. But other times, all that goofy socializing actually ends up being a distinct detriment. For example, I worked with a guy whom I actually more or less liked a number of years ago. Nice guy. A reasonably smart guy even - as more or less intelligent people go, that is. The only problem was that he was also a dyed-in-the-wool, fancy "atheist."

Which was fine, really. I mean, that's what I thought at first anyway. Because someone doesn't have to agree with me about everything all the time, right? I mean, what fun would life even be if everyone agreed with us all the time? How would anyone learn anything new? How could we grow as human beings if we didn't encounter others who make us think? I mean, really think.

So at first, I was like, okay, to each his own. Believe or don't believe whatever you want. It's all good, right? Well... not for me in this particular case, anyway. Because this one die-hard atheist friend led to me accepting the friendship of yet another atheist. Which was also fine at first glance. Except that this other atheist was one of those especially vocal sorts. You know, the kind that seems to not be happy unless they're making or sharing hateful Internet memes that disparage Christians in particular.

Yeah, that kind of atheist. The kind that makes all the rest look like sadistic, anarchist monsters with a bug up their itchy, filthy, arrogant buttocks. The kind that just can't not believe in God or an Afterlife, and then... just shut up about it. The kind of person that seems to feel the need to put down anyone with a little faith. The kind of cruel, mean-spirited douchebag who delights in making cracks about the supposed absurdity of a virgin birth. The kind of... well, you get the idea.

So then, within just a few days, I kid you NOT, a whole slew of these other atheist dudes sent me friend requests on Facebook! But, in my characteristic patience, or perhaps fancy-ass magnanimity, I was still like, okay, keep calm, and be "tolerant." Remember now, if you can respect their opinions and beliefs, then they can certainly respect yours. Right?

Uh... nope. Didn't work out quite that way, unfortunately. Nope. Uh-uh. No way, no how, Jose! Not on your life, buddy! No, in fact, before I knew it, my Facebook "news feed" was suddenly inundated with dozens of really offensive and downright condescending and mean memes. Crude jokes about Jesus galore! Horribly irreverent and even sometimes outright obscene depictions of Christ, nuns, priests, and the total disparaging of anything Christian imaginable! Just a constant barrage of rude, insensitive, and just plain intolerant commentary about people of faith in general.

Yet very seldom, if ever, any disparaging remarks and irreverent blaspheming about Muslims or even Buddhists. Not that I particularly want to see that kind of venomous bile being spewed by constantly needling, ankle-biting know-it-all worms like that either, mind you, but it really made me think: What gives? I mean, what the heck is their problem anyway? Why be so nasty? I mean, some people like chocolate ice cream, while others prefer vanilla, right? So... so what! "Live and let live." But that's obviously not what these particular atheists were after.

So finally, one day I just had had enough. So I went to my big, fancy Facebook "friend" list and I just started picking those nasty little buggers off. I just went to town, and unfriended the hell out of the whole stinking lot of them. Good riddance! I mean, who really needs that kind of negativity anyway, right?

So now, I watch, or listen to, daily masses on Youtube. I enjoy the priest or deacon's homily, and I don't give a big flying crap who doesn't like it. Because quite often, even just one bad apple really can spoil the whole darn bunch.

And I don't know about anybody else, but although it is certainly possible to make bitter vinegar from fermented apples, and although vinegar too, most definitely has its uses, it is infinitely wiser, I have found, to keep your spoiled rotten fruit well away from the cream of the crop - lest it too become hopelessly tainted.