I cannot allow myself to be a producer of hatred and bile. It's a dangerous pathway to follow that only increases the hostility in the world around me. As we get closer to this coming election, I feel that the negativity and division will only increase. Considering that we know foreign powers are intentionally trying to further divide us by taking elements of truth and tossing in a hefty helping of paranoia in their counter-America infiltration posts, I am making a conscious effort to not pass on insult-ridden or muck-raking types of posts and information.
I am also going to pull back on my commenting in general. Warning my friends that they are posting misleading or false information has not seemed to have any real effect these past few years; I don't see why in our heightened levels of political and mental defensiveness that anything I comment on would be anything but detrimental now. This is not an act of cowardness or fence-sitting on my part; rather, it is calculated inaction in an effort to not add to the escalating emotions.
I will instead refocus my time and efforts that I normal spend commenting by searching for humorous non-political memes and videos of adorable pets. I will still endeavor to keep myself informed, but I want to counteract ugly rhetoric with cute animals. I have enough stress at the moment without adding things I cannot control to the pile.