‘It’s getting so much harder not to speak my mind these days’

I love my community … well, mostly. I live in a northern suburb of Perth, with a population of approximately 8,000. My suburb is middle class, mostly populated with families younger than I.  

I have always been interested in what happens and goes on within my locality.  In earlier years, I would use a chat over the back fence, a walk to the letter box, study the message board at the local shops or visit the local library to gather necessary, community information.  I now receive this information by email, on an iPad app or via a community group posting on Facebook. 

I consider myself quite savvy in being able to keep up with this trend, but just in case electronic information fails, I keep a hardcopy diary.  Yes, one of those old fashion things they still make students of high-school age use!

Recently, though, I have become disillusioned with some of the Facebook community groups I have joined. Mostly the information posted is very useful and I read it diligently, but there now seems to be a shift in the purpose of some sites.  The postings from local shire councillors, relating to road closures, community events, land rezoning and residents’ concerns are of interest. As are informative postings from residents about road accidents, break-ins and alerts relating to suspect people wandering our streets.

I also feel the warmth and love within the community when the Facebook page is used to help and support the most disadvantaged within our midst. Used appropriately the page is a helpful and useful tool to reach a lot people quickly and efficiently. 

What I do have a problem with is whingers and ranters, and those sad, lazy individuals who use the Facebook page as their own, personal problem-solving site. When such posts appear, I have to hold my little fingers back from typing the sarcastic comments forming in my head.  It is hard to not comment and if I do, I know the page administrator will ask me to tamper my sarcasm and be more kind and accepting of others within the group. 

It is a shame, they do not ask the whingers and those too lazy to find their own solution, to be more considerate and show a little common sense (of yes, that’s right, “the trouble with common sense, is that it is not very common nowadays”!). Due to my sardonic wit, I have mostly resisted sharing and responding online, but I will take a leap today, and share my idiocy here. 

Following are some recent annoying posts that have set my ire on fire (Like the rhyme?).  My un-shared responses are in italics.

Is the fish and chip shop open now? Well, it is 7pm and it usually is, why don’t you Google their telephone number and call to ask their opening times? Alternatively, get off your lazy butt and walk or drive to the shop and see!  

I have just posted a photo of dog poo left on my verge.  Whoever you are I am going to drop this in your letter box. It is so inconsiderate, why don’t people pick up their dog poo? Well, good on you. You have now started another all-day comment session on dog poo and who doesn’t pick it up and why (and we haven’t had enough previous comment on this matter). For goodness sake, the good, kind people pick up their dog’s business, the rest are lazy, selfish individuals who have no respect for other people.

Any hairdressers out there who can do foils and a cut tomorrow? What happened to making an appointment like the rest of us.  How lazy. Organise yourself better!

How good is the nail technician and how much does she charge? Well, her prices are on the board just inside her door and judging by the number of clients she has, when I walk past, she is good. Stop being lazy and go and find out for yourself.

What time does the bottle shop close?  How would I know? Why don’t you use your fingers and brain to find their telephone number and ring and ask? I know you can type and you did connect with this page, so I assume you can Google a telephone number!

Anyone know why there is a helicopter flying over our area?  It has been circling my street for 10 minutes and it is keeping me awake. Well no, my antennae for direct contact with the pilot is not working. For goodness sake, maybe it is the police doing their job and if it worries you so much, ring them and ask.

And le pièce de résistance:

Why haven’t our bins been cleared today?  (The misinformed authors of this question went on to savagely attack the local shire for not clearing their bins on the due day, even though all residents received the notification changes through various methods of communication, including the same Facebook page). Had they read and retained the information provided, the whinging post would be redundant as the information explained why and when the bins would be cleared. 

One brave person commented to remind them of the changes, only to receive a further rant about information not being shared and why do the workers have to have a day off etc. Like, how dare they!  My little fingers needed extra restraint with this one but I will share the comment I did not type. Stupid, yes, you, did you not read any of the information provided by our shire? So, you are having a bad day, your bins are full, you are not alone.  Get over it!  Don’t share it!  Own it! Suck it up! Etc, etc …!

I will quietly finish now, my mind is cleansed. Did I rant or whinge? I hope not. You see, those thoughts are still in my head, I did not post or share them on the community Facebook page. 

Are you sometimes amazed by the foolishness you read on social media? Are social networks making us more stupid, or are you becoming less tolerant of fools?