I wrote this poem on April 9, 2017, on a Tumblr blog that no longer exists. It was in response to a pattern I noticed on Twitter during the 2016 election. Some people were using Twitter the way it should be – while others were filling their Twitter accounts with hate.
I read “Two Paths” in episode 19 of Words of Jen.
Take the path of sharing
Share your artwork, your poetry, your photos, and your random wandering wonderings on your social media
Share screenshots of your achievements earned in pixelated worlds
Share words of kindness and compassion for friends and followers who are having a rough day
What you put into the world, and how it makes people feel, will be remembered
People will share their creativity, their kind words, their happiness, with you.
Or, take the path of garbage
Make your banner and icon a photo of Trump, put #MAGA in your bio
Fill your social media with the same, tired, memes; the same boring words-posting-on-photos; the same immature jokes as all the other people who are absolutely terrified to think for themselves
Offer no words of your own at all, except when you want to attack people
Use made-up words as insults – like kindergartners do
Pick fights with the social media accounts of politicians and organizations you dislike. Squelch the knowledge that they aren’t ever going to read your words
Show the world how much you hate yourself
What you put into the world, and how it makes people feel, will be remembered
People will block you because they are so tired of your garbage
And each time that happens – you become even more alone and unwanted
You have complete control over what path you choose
Two Paths is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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