I'm A Mess. So Are They!

Over the last year I have been keenly aware of what happens when I post something to Facebook. Now, I'm not talking about statistics of likes, clicks, and comments. I've been paying special attention to my emotional response and the emotional responses of others (based on their comments of course, really, it's the best I could do).

The result of this?

I stopped posting my opinions on things related to sports.

This has led me to one simple conclusion: I'm a mess and so is everyone else.

If I post about religion or politics, the conversation tends to be congenial. My friends and I are able to have legitimate conversations about things. We are able to pay attention and deal with the issue at hand. Are there some that struggle? Sure. But, for the most part we're able to have adult conversations that are meaningful.

However, when I post about sports it's all about the emotion. Mine and everyone else's. We can't control it. It devolves into name calling, mean spirited attacks, and just plain rudeness in an instant.

So I don't post about sports any more on Facebook. I'm a mess, and so are they!

We live in a bored culture and sports are the adrenaline. They wake us up and we begin to have feelings and emotions that we don't really know what to do with. It's sad really. But it really is true. Our identities are tied into our sports teams. I AM a Tigers fan. I AM a Red Wings fan. I AM a Michigan fan. These are identity statements that we hold to just as strongly as something significantly more important like the statement, I AM a Christian. So when we perceived an attack on our identity we are ready to fight. Why? Because it is an attack on the core of who we are.

So, no. I won't post about sports on Facebook any more. Why? Because I'm a mess! So are they!