The freedom to share has increased our debates.
I used to think some people took a contrary point of view just to feel important.
We all know those types.
But thanks to social media that behavior has expanded to include all of us.
That's one of the powers of our connected world - we can all voice an opinion, share our perspective, debate an issue.
Whether it's on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or the host of other social media sites.
It's human nature - when we're empowered with new capabilities - we take advantage of them through lots and lots of practice.
We revel in our new power.
That's especially true with the freedom to speak - now available through social media.
Yet I have to wonder if some of this freedom is counter-productive.
Are we debating for the sake of the debate? Sometimes the fact is the fact.
I watched a debate on Facebook the other day.
It really didn't need to be a debate - the fact was the fact and most of us knew it.
Yet a few folks had to throw in their two cents, debating the tiniest aspects of the facts - aspects that weren't really important in the scheme of things.
That debate went on for over a day.
I couldn't help wondering if there weren't better things to be doing with all that initiative and energy.
I have that thought a lot as I watch folks split hairs and debate the smallest aspects of the news, a blog, an article, a comment, a video or a performance.
Everyone has an opinion and they share it.
Just because we can debate or comment doesn't mean we have to do so.
Sometimes a fact is, indeed, a fact.
So we might all think of letting it go, using all our energy for more productive - and positive - outcomes.
We only have so much time in a day - so is that debate really the most productive thing we could do with our precious time? If so - go for it.
But if not..
..
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck - let it be a duck.