Empty Gestures

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
M

MissCris

Guest
#1
#1
I am forever seeing people on Facebook posting things or changing their profile pictures in support of...everything. Anything. Something different every five minutes.

And I want to be all, HOW is that doing any good for that cause? How is a like and a share actually supporting anything?

It's an empty gesture, in most cases, I think. A way for people to feel like they're involved without actually having to DO anything. Of course there Are people out there who go out and do hands-on work, or make donations, and that's wonderful. There are people who are strong advocates of whatever cause they're supporting on social media, making an effort to raise awareness. But mostly...Sharing a post just to agree, or changing your photo for a week...empty.

What are some other types of empty gestures people make, not just online, but everywhere? And what could a person do to make that action or those words actually mean something?
 
S

Sirk

Guest
#2
#2
MissCris said:
I am forever seeing people on Facebook posting things or changing their profile pictures in support of...everything. Anything. Something different every five minutes.

And I want to be all, HOW is that doing any good for that cause? How is a like and a share actually supporting anything?

It's an empty gesture, in most cases, I think. A way for people to feel like they're involved without actually having to DO anything. Of course there Are people out there who go out and do hands-on work, or make donations, and that's wonderful. There are people who are strong advocates of whatever cause they're supporting on social media, making an effort to raise awareness. But mostly...Sharing a post just to agree, or changing your photo for a week...empty.

What are some other types of empty gestures people make, not just online, but everywhere? And what could a person do to make that action or those words actually mean something?
Click to expand...
Facebook is mostly a depressing place in that it rarely gives you the true picture of others lives and mostly gives you the highlights..
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#3
Aug 13, 2014
24,913
8,166
113
#3
For some reason the phrase "raise awareness" automatically made me think of all those conspiracy theorists spending all their time "getting the word out" that something is wrong with (fill in the blank, the government, microsoft, the illuminati controlling everything from the shadows, etc) but they never do give a solution. They just keep yelling about something being wrong. They never yell anything about how to fix it.

Empty gestures reminded me of the current trend of "how ya doing" as a greeting. People never stop to hear the answer.
 
M

MissCris

Guest
#4
#4
Sirk said:
Facebook is mostly a depressing place in that it rarely gives you the true picture of others lives and mostly gives you the highlights..
Click to expand...
I don't disagree with this. Though, if you realize that going in, then there's nothing to be depressed about ;)

I only used Facebook as an example of this though because I just scrolled through about ten posts that were supporting some cause in a useless way, there are plenty of real world examples though.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
J

JeniBean

Guest
#5
#5
I do not do FACEBOOK!!! I'd rather tell someone I am supporting something and why. The world just doesn't TALK face to face any more. It's depressing!
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#6
Aug 13, 2014
24,913
8,166
113
#6
Glad I'm not the only one who has not been assimilated... er, I mean joined facebook.
 
shineyourlight

shineyourlight

Senior Member
#7
May 25, 2015
6,119
821
113
#7
MissCris said:
I am forever seeing people on Facebook posting things or changing their profile pictures in support of...everything. Anything. Something different every five minutes.

And I want to be all, HOW is that doing any good for that cause? How is a like and a share actually supporting anything?

It's an empty gesture, in most cases, I think. A way for people to feel like they're involved without actually having to DO anything. Of course there Are people out there who go out and do hands-on work, or make donations, and that's wonderful. There are people who are strong advocates of whatever cause they're supporting on social media, making an effort to raise awareness. But mostly...Sharing a post just to agree, or changing your photo for a week...empty.

What are some other types of empty gestures people make, not just online, but everywhere? And what could a person do to make that action or those words actually mean something?
Click to expand...
THIS..............
 
S

Siberian_Khatru

Guest
#8
#8
I tend to take "I'm sorry" as an empty gesture when it's applied to someone else and their suffering or misfortune.

No, you're not. You're just saying that to make yourself feel better. Even coming from a good place, I don't take it seriously.
 
maxwel

maxwel

Senior Member
#9
Apr 18, 2013
9,339
2,427
113
#9
You "Empty Gestures" idea is BRILLIANT!

I'm going to put this on my Facebook to support it!
 
C

CarolSampaio

Guest
#10
#10
I don't know... I wouldn't go as far as that...

People have a need to belong... to be part of something... that's why the virtual world has become such a thing... it's easy to get along with people when you're doing it through a screen... and they don't need to be exposed to all the drama and awkwardness in our lives... it's easy to be likable and lovable when all you show is your best... or your bad in a romanticized way...

That's one of the reasons this forum exists... you are able to get large group of people with something in common (christians), separate them into smaller groups according to their interests and put the virtual filter on and BAM, you have awesome people who will most likely remain totally awesome because you will never get to meet them upclose and personal!!

I'm not a great person... I'm too emotional, too pig headed, too intense, and too too many things... so I have few friends... :) but here it's easy!! :)

At least that's how I see it... people don't call anymore, don't meet anymore cause it's easier to be virtually liked... no fear of rejection, no fear of disappointment...
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#11
Aug 13, 2014
24,913
8,166
113
#11
Siberian_Khatru said:
I tend to take "I'm sorry" as an empty gesture when it's applied to someone else and their suffering or misfortune.

No, you're not. You're just saying that to make yourself feel better. Even coming from a good place, I don't take it seriously.
Click to expand...
 
CatHerder

CatHerder

Senior Member
#12
Mar 20, 2013
3,551
79
48
#12
Yes. I think the ubiquitous "share if you are not ashamed of Christ, hate cancer, support autistic kids, know someone with a mental illness, etc." posts are kind of stupid. I pretty much ignore those even though the post may say "only real Christians will repost." I'll believe what the Bible says about me over a silly Facebook post any day.

I did, however support someone financially who was doing some sort of pro-life event a while back. I saw that she was seeking sponsors through Facebook, among other means, so it could be good to use the book of faces that way.

And their messenger app is rather handy to coordinate a karaoke night among workmates.

So it has its uses.

...and their games are fun little time-wasters.
 
Last edited:
M

MissCris

Guest
#13
#13
CarolSampaio said:
I don't know... I wouldn't go as far as that...

People have a need to belong... to be part of something... that's why the virtual world has become such a thing... it's easy to get along with people when you're doing it through a screen... and they don't need to be exposed to all the drama and awkwardness in our lives... it's easy to be likable and lovable when all you show is your best... or your bad in a romanticized way...

That's one of the reasons this forum exists... you are able to get large group of people with something in common (christians), separate them into smaller groups according to their interests and put the virtual filter on and BAM, you have awesome people who will most likely remain totally awesome because you will never get to meet them upclose and personal!!

I'm not a great person... I'm too emotional, too pig headed, too intense, and too too many things... so I have few friends... :) but here it's easy!! :)

At least that's how I see it... people don't call anymore, don't meet anymore cause it's easier to be virtually liked... no fear of rejection, no fear of disappointment...
Click to expand...
Maybe this is where I'm getting hung up...so many people Do choose to post ONLY the good, and to them, it is meaningful in some way, it makes them feel good to have people "like" their posts and photos. I have a...bad? annoying? unfortunate?...habit of showing a fair amount of the bad parts of my life, of who I am, when I post.

I'm not saying that my way of sharing is Better than those who only post the good stuff, just that I would rather have the people I interact with online know that I'm a mess, because if they're only seeing the highlights...it just seems incredibly...well, empty. I guess what I mean is, all these people are looking to connect with others and be liked and all...and I don't get how that even happens when everyone is only showing the very best of themselves.

I would just rather be liked for who I Really am, even online, than to hide behind a mask.

Also, Please don't anyone take this as criticism, I don't mean it that way at all. I'm just...you know...spewing my own opinions and whatnot.
 
maxwel

maxwel

Senior Member
#15
Apr 18, 2013
9,339
2,427
113
#15
MissCris said:
Maybe this is where I'm getting hung up...so many people Do choose to post ONLY the good, and to them, it is meaningful in some way, it makes them feel good to have people "like" their posts and photos. I have a...bad? annoying? unfortunate?...habit of showing a fair amount of the bad parts of my life, of who I am, when I post.

I'm not saying that my way of sharing is Better than those who only post the good stuff, just that I would rather have the people I interact with online know that I'm a mess, because if they're only seeing the highlights...it just seems incredibly...well, empty. I guess what I mean is, all these people are looking to connect with others and be liked and all...and I don't get how that even happens when everyone is only showing the very best of themselves.

I would just rather be liked for who I Really am, even online, than to hide behind a mask.

Also, Please don't anyone take this as criticism, I don't mean it that way at all. I'm just...you know...spewing my own opinions and whatnot.
Click to expand...
That is NOT the American way.

Come on, join our shallowness.
Jump in.
There's room for one more.

You've been in the deep end of the pool too long.
It's dangerous over there.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#17
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
0
#17
Facebook or Forum, it's mostly, "Hey, look at me."
 
Olerica

Olerica

Banned
#18
Apr 15, 2014
2,050
38
0
#18
MissCris said:
Maybe this is where I'm getting hung up...so many people Do choose to post ONLY the good, and to them, it is meaningful in some way, it makes them feel good to have people "like" their posts and photos. I have a...bad? annoying? unfortunate?...habit of showing a fair amount of the bad parts of my life, of who I am, when I post.

I'm not saying that my way of sharing is Better than those who only post the good stuff, just that I would rather have the people I interact with online know that I'm a mess, because if they're only seeing the highlights...it just seems incredibly...well, empty. I guess what I mean is, all these people are looking to connect with others and be liked and all...and I don't get how that even happens when everyone is only showing the very best of themselves.

I would just rather be liked for who I Really am, even online, than to hide behind a mask.

Also, Please don't anyone take this as criticism, I don't mean it that way at all. I'm just...you know...spewing my own opinions and whatnot.
Click to expand...
I don't just post the positive. I've had some critisism about posting my struggles, my sadness and grief. I don't care that people think I should be 'over it', Facebook is my (albeit public) space to be open (or not) with my life. I'm cool with people not liking it, or me, or whatever. They don't have to be 'friends' with me.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.