No, this narrative isn’t about presidential combatants Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, although in a way it is since they both are frequently at the center of sometimes heated dinner table and barroom debates, let alone news cycles and social media forums. Rather, this time I’ll explain why I enjoy baiting my provocative hook and dropping my line into the waters of social media. And, like I do at my favorite fishing hole, I get immense pleasure from catching and releasing my “fish” with knowledge that I’m certain to pull them in later.
With that as an entrée, let me say that if one seeks to fine-tune his/her online debating skills or let off steam, just drop your line into your favorite social media forum and gauge reactions. And if you relish controversy and are thick skinned, pick the right one and brace yourself for some occasional angry sharp-tongued responses.
Okay, I admit that I’m drawn to several such forums because I thoroughly enjoy playing the role of the contrarian, the devil’s advocate, the envelop pusher in order to provoke debate or to test the strength of my own and opposing arguments. Now if you want an example of a typical Myers Briggs contrarian personality type, well look no further than yours truly because few things light up personalities like mine than vigorous written and verbal sparring – and if the conversation veers into a controversial terrain, ahh, so much the better. Inarguably, our political and social histories are littered with examples of folks who engaged in strategic provocation and agitation; among them Frederick Douglass, James Baldwin, John “Good Trouble” Lewis, and I can go on.
Now given my propensity for playing the devil’s advocate on thorny political, social and cultural issues, I’ve been called my share of some not so nice names (“jerk,” “fool,” “ignorant,” “leftie” and “imbecile” among the most frequent and printable ones). I can only imagine what colorful things they say about me offline, under their breaths or among trusted and like-minded buddies.
But what’s interesting is the fact that while most of my name-calling antagonists tend to drop out of sight after lambasting me, “Wendy” and “Lydia” will hang around to duke it out with me in exchange after exchange, barb after barb. Chances are slim to none that these two of my favorite sparing partners will send me a Christmas card this year.
Here’s how my fishing expeditions typically get started.
When a contemporary topic of discussion is underway – for the most part political or just whining or bellyaching – I’ll “bait” my hook with a provocative comment and toss it out to see who bites. And to my delight, you take it to the bank, I’ll reel in either “Wendy” or “Lydia.” A commonality with these two is their amusing tete-a-tete attempts to prove me wrong plus their blind obsession with getting the last word in. They’re lots of fun.
But here’s the deal; often when you pierce through echo chambers – my calling card – you risk getting a strong “how dare you” pushback. More times than not, some resent my “who the heck is he” intrusion into the tranquility of their space and comfort zones Thus, I’m not at all surprised by how quickly they craft acerbic retorts out of emotions and not on reason.
So it’s not at all unreasonable for me to take a position that I don’t really believe in just to get a reaction. Sometimes all it takes is for me to ask, “Are you serious?….. “Tell us what on Earth were you thinking when you posted something so outrageous?” Or maybe something less threatening, i.e., “Help me understand why you say that,”….“Okay, our point is?”…. “Point us to the facts that support your assertion.”
Now let me be clear on one point: I will not sit on my rear end in politeness when bigoted comments that disparage someone based on race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, immigration status, etc., appear in social media platforms since they have the potential of putting someone at risk. I have zero tolerance for racism and sexism. And when someone like a courageous “Sue,” or “Joe” is quick to challenge bigotry, falsehoods, or just plain stupidity and sheer nonsense, they’ll get a “like” and “ditto” from yours truly.
Second, challenging warped views can actually encourage those who are intellectually honest with themselves to pause and reexamine – not necessarily alter – their preconceived opinions about issues, i.e., “you know, maybe there is a flaw in my thinking and blind spots in my knowledge that I’m not aware of.” As the saying goes, “a mind stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions.”
Third, knowing that something they post could be met with a strong pushback may make the sender have second thoughts before putting it out there. The operative words here are common sense and accountability.
So at the end of the day, typically after a few rounds of back and forth with “Wendy” and “Lydia,” I’ll smile before tossing them back into the pond knowing full well that I’ll reel them in the next time… with or without bait on my hook!
“I want to urge you to make waves. I want to urge you to rock the boat. I want to urge you to get off your duff. I want to urge you to speak out at whatever cost if it comes from your heart.” -Anne Richards
© Terry Howard is an award-winning writer. He is a contributing writer with the Chattanooga News Chronicle, The American Diversity Report, The Douglas County Sentinel, Blackmarket.com, recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award, and third place winner of the Georgia Press Award.