The internet.

Land of the connected.

An escape from real-life pressures like deciding which fast food restaurant to destroy our bodies with or what theater has the best seats for the next Disney movie.

The internet provides us with the luxurious thrill of arguing with strangers. Forget baseball, this is America’s new favorite past-time.

I don’t remember try-outs and I still don’t even know which team picked me, but hopping online to have endless feeds of outrage greet me every day sometimes makes me wonder why our society is ridden with anxiety, depression, and self-consciousness. It’s not as if entire mobs of people are out there just waiting for someone to say one thing they disagree with…

The internet wants to be free range. It likes the idea of the Wild West, but has too many allergies to roam.

It’s not like the internet age just took over, but there are still a lot of people out there who haven’t picked up some well-needed online etiquette.

If you enjoy the double-standards, the unrest, and the division I would say keep at it. We’re all doing a great job.

The internet has no rule book, no commandments. Just random social media platforms run by a bunch of dudes who live in castles and drive hover-crafts (I think).

I’m no tech God and I definitely wouldn’t follow one, but if  someday I get mistaken for a wise-woman I’d suggest a few simple guidelines that no one would follow:

1. Acknowledge that other people exist 

2. Educate yourself on free speech and how it protects freedom of expression

3. Express yourself freely

4. Go on. Be YOU and let the crazy fly

5. Respectfully converse with respectful people

6. Don’t argue with ignorant jerks, it’s a waste of time (unless you’re bored and enjoy headaches)

7. Accept that not everyone is like you, will like you, or has to like what you post 

8. Give people the benefit of the doubt ─ assuming they are stupid or wrong just because you disagree is just asinine 

9. Keep a safe distance, you never know who’s a creep and who is just awkward (block and mute exist for a reason)

10. Learn to meme