Dirty Laundry - To Air or Not To Air?

Social media has become a major factor of most people's day to day life. We share our triumphs and defeats, our successes and failures.

But how much info is too much info? Especially when it come's to personal drama?

It's as if everyone has become a star of their own reality show, with their Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook feeds. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially if you use it to connect with family and friends, and keep in touch with the updates of lives that matter to you. I know that's why I certainly use it!

But how often is it you see sheer drama of the "Jerry Springer" magnitude, unfold before your very eyes on the internet?

I think it's a pretty safe bet, that nearly everyone can recall at least one time where, whether they really wanted to or not, learned a little too much about personal troubles a family member or acquaintance went through, via social media. It's often straight out of the horses mouth-from the person experiencing it right in the moment.

Now, if I care about you, I certainly do want to know when you're having a hard time. But does the world need to know? I will care when you find out, say for instance, your husband is cheating on you, or your child's father isn't paying child support. But that's because I'm a friend...and most people on the internet are not your friends!

Platforms like Facebook, for example, make it all too easy to notice things that the poster might not want the world to know-they might think what they are speaking on is limited to only a select few, and then forget their privacy settings, and before you know it; People you may only slightly met know all about your baby mama throw down with your new boyfriend's ex. That's not mentioning how the gossip train itself rolls through word of mouth.

It's not good to air dirty laundry on the internet. Yes, it's attention grabbing if you want to call someone out (discretely or not), but when it gives entertainment for onlookers to cast judgement, is it really worth it? Humans are judgemental by nature-a instinct built in to guide us as who/what to trust, or avoid. And even when you're calling out the crimes of another, how does that make you look? Are you seen as a victim, or instigator? Heartbroken, or petty?

"Well, I don't care what others think of me..."  
As a fellow giver of (very little) f*cks, I feel you. If you feel the need to vent and have a very extroverted personality, and the status update is your platform-go for it.

But honestly, if I feel the need to watch some drama, I have 'Criminal Minds' reruns to catch up on (too dark? I guess maybe Keeping Up With The Kardashians is a good tv equivalent to what I see scrolling through my feed. Or even old episodes of Real Housewives).

I try to keep as much bad energy out of my life, and away from my family, as possible. I don't have Baby Daddy drama, and my husband always comes home at night. I don't enjoy watching the demise and torment of others...even if they are so willing to share it via social networking. Entertainment is best left to film and television...and even if I want to relish some reality tv, I'd rather it be on tv. Honesty, the storylines are better and there's usually always a happy outcome, unlike real-life drama.

I'm not saying everything should be sunshine and daisies, because life isn't like that. But if every time you tweet or update, and it's about how a man did you wrong, or a girl disrespected you, or something you're angry about within your family...I'm going to ignore and eventually unfollow so your negativity doesn't breach my firewall and attack. Because that's what negative energy does. And I don't find anyone's personal drama that entertaining.

Unless Ryan Reynolds is part of it. Then by all means, please tweet the hell out of that!