Aaaaaaargh
I am considering deleting my facebook altogether... or at the very least, creating a super tiny reading filter that I can actually look at without wanting to force-choke people through my computer screen. This week, it's been post after post of blood-pressure raising nonsense. (Birth control = abortion pills, DID YOU KNOW?) I went on a defriending spree and I feel not the least bit sorry about it, because hopefully it will mean I spend less time feeling rage-alicious.
Plus there's the whole "dude who shot up his kid's computer because she dared to complain about chores" thing. It is boggling my fucking mind that people who are otherwise rational and cool think that this is a thing to be admired. Note: I am talking about no less than ten fb posts on the topic.
Point one: fifteen year olds complain about shit. They are given to hyperbole. Did you keep a journal when you were fifteen? I will bet good money that it's full of shit like "MY LIFE IS RUINED FOREEEEEVER" and "MY PARENTS ARE SO UNJUST." Nowadays, facebook filters (as this was filtered specifically to a few of the girl's friends), are basically the same thing.
Point two: after he circumnavigated her filters, he took time to think through it, and decided that the best way to deal with your typical, run-of-the-mill non-destructive teenage brattiness was to publicly shame her (you tried to hide it from me, so I WILL READ IT TO THE WORLD ON YOUTUBE - I NEVER MEANT FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE TO SEE IT TEE HEE OOPS) and then *HOLLOW POINT EXPLOSIVE GUN ROUNDS*. That's not responsible parenting. That's Internet Tough Guy Dick Waving. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST. Retaliation is NOT the same thing as discipline-- he made this about his ego and *GLOATING ABOUT IT PUBLICLY*, rather than addressing her negative behavior in any realistic way. And all of this was to "teach her a lesson." What did he teach her, exactly? Destruction, cavalier use of a firearm, and that she'll never be able to count on her parents not to overreact in a WAY over the top kinda way. I mean, if my parents' reaction to misbehavior is public ridicule, you bet your ASS I would never trust them again. Fear of shaming and reprisal is NOT the same thing as trust or respect.
Point three: SHE PAID FOR THE LAPTOP. The douche!dad says this in his Facebook comments. He did sink money into upgrades. He had every right to take the laptop away from her. He did not have the right to fucking destroy her property. Also? If he's an IT guy and the only way he could think to keep his kid from using Facebook was to SHOOT IT, he is officially the SHITTIEST IT GUY IN HISTORY. But maybe that's because he was more concerned with being a dick-waving Internet Tough Guy. (Also? You work in IT and don't understand how public info with your NAME ATTACHED can go viral? Riiiiiiiiiiiiight. Also? Her name is now out there for future employers to Google, for added funsies!)
Point four: Nobody's saying that the kid wasn't being a brat or that she wasn't deserving of discipline. But people are legit acting like there is NO LOGICAL STEP between being a wet rag of a parent and *pulling out a firearm.* TRUEFAX: anything involving *A MOTHERFUCKING FIREARM* is NOT *TOUGH LOVE.* It is disturbing to me how many people have this weird, darkly gleeful "she had it coming" attitude about her disrespect being somehow worthy of THE USE OF A FIREARM -- seriously? look at your life, look at your choices -- and with a father like that, is it any WONDER that this kid is prone to dramatics? Sure, her behavior was shitty, but his? It was so out of proportion that I can't even compare the two. He's an adult. He is the example. He should know better. Fucking period.
Sigh. People can roll their eyes at me posting about my cats all they like, but this week?
Cats >>> People. FORREALS.
Plus there's the whole "dude who shot up his kid's computer because she dared to complain about chores" thing. It is boggling my fucking mind that people who are otherwise rational and cool think that this is a thing to be admired. Note: I am talking about no less than ten fb posts on the topic.
Point one: fifteen year olds complain about shit. They are given to hyperbole. Did you keep a journal when you were fifteen? I will bet good money that it's full of shit like "MY LIFE IS RUINED FOREEEEEVER" and "MY PARENTS ARE SO UNJUST." Nowadays, facebook filters (as this was filtered specifically to a few of the girl's friends), are basically the same thing.
Point two: after he circumnavigated her filters, he took time to think through it, and decided that the best way to deal with your typical, run-of-the-mill non-destructive teenage brattiness was to publicly shame her (you tried to hide it from me, so I WILL READ IT TO THE WORLD ON YOUTUBE - I NEVER MEANT FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE TO SEE IT TEE HEE OOPS) and then *HOLLOW POINT EXPLOSIVE GUN ROUNDS*. That's not responsible parenting. That's Internet Tough Guy Dick Waving. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST. Retaliation is NOT the same thing as discipline-- he made this about his ego and *GLOATING ABOUT IT PUBLICLY*, rather than addressing her negative behavior in any realistic way. And all of this was to "teach her a lesson." What did he teach her, exactly? Destruction, cavalier use of a firearm, and that she'll never be able to count on her parents not to overreact in a WAY over the top kinda way. I mean, if my parents' reaction to misbehavior is public ridicule, you bet your ASS I would never trust them again. Fear of shaming and reprisal is NOT the same thing as trust or respect.
Point three: SHE PAID FOR THE LAPTOP. The douche!dad says this in his Facebook comments. He did sink money into upgrades. He had every right to take the laptop away from her. He did not have the right to fucking destroy her property. Also? If he's an IT guy and the only way he could think to keep his kid from using Facebook was to SHOOT IT, he is officially the SHITTIEST IT GUY IN HISTORY. But maybe that's because he was more concerned with being a dick-waving Internet Tough Guy. (Also? You work in IT and don't understand how public info with your NAME ATTACHED can go viral? Riiiiiiiiiiiiight. Also? Her name is now out there for future employers to Google, for added funsies!)
Point four: Nobody's saying that the kid wasn't being a brat or that she wasn't deserving of discipline. But people are legit acting like there is NO LOGICAL STEP between being a wet rag of a parent and *pulling out a firearm.* TRUEFAX: anything involving *A MOTHERFUCKING FIREARM* is NOT *TOUGH LOVE.* It is disturbing to me how many people have this weird, darkly gleeful "she had it coming" attitude about her disrespect being somehow worthy of THE USE OF A FIREARM -- seriously? look at your life, look at your choices -- and with a father like that, is it any WONDER that this kid is prone to dramatics? Sure, her behavior was shitty, but his? It was so out of proportion that I can't even compare the two. He's an adult. He is the example. He should know better. Fucking period.
Sigh. People can roll their eyes at me posting about my cats all they like, but this week?
Cats >>> People. FORREALS.