Articles about online etiquette generally offer sound advice:
* Do share stories/articles about topics that interest you.
* Don’t post unflattering pictures — of anyone.
* Do engage with your readers in the comments.
* Don’t give away too many personal details.
* Don’t make nasty comments about your boss, ex, the dead, etc.
Inevitably, however, these well-meaning stories will also include a suggestion that I find utterly baffling: Don’t post lovey-dovey comments about your mate.
The thinking behind such advice is simple. Publicly sharing thoughts of love and romance can cause the folks who read your Facebook or Twitter feed to roll their eyes in disgust. Or worse, such caring comments will make readers feel bad about their own love lives.
This is ridiculous.
The world is so full of meanness. Snarky posts, trolling comments and outright insults are the norm on social media. What is wrong with countering all that cruelty with a bit of kindness?
Romantic messages aren’t meant to make people feel bad; instead, the very opposite is true. Public declarations of passion may be aimed at one person but they’re revealed to all because when you’re in love, you want to share that wonderfulness with the whole world. You want to spread that love around.
Such articles also advise against posting images or statuses that focus on vacations or babies or weddings, as if sharing such milestones means you’re bragging (or part of a massive conspiracy to bring down the spirits of the people who lack these things). Pah!
The people who write these statuses are simply explaining what’s happening in their world and inviting others to enjoy the fun. Rather than opting for jealousy, I say choose to be happy for them. And when you fall in love, take a trip, wed, graduate, land a new job, buy a house, have a baby, get a great haircut, bake the perfect pie or win the lottery, shout it from the rooftops.
We’ll all be happy for you, too.
–Photo by Devonyu
