Advice on Handling a Friend's Unsettling Social Media Shares
This article from The Guardian's 'Leading Questions' column features advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith addressing a reader's dilemma regarding a thirty-year friendship. The reader is distressed by a long-distance friend who frequently sends disturbing social media videos, conspiracy theories, and political content despite repeated requests to share only positive or cute material. The friend, whose life is described as difficult, seems unaware of the impact her sharing has, treating the reader more like an audience than a confidante. Gordon-Smith analyzes this behavior through the philosophical lens of Harry Frankfurt’s concept of 'bullshit,' suggesting the friend is indifferent to truth rather than malicious. Instead of serious confrontation or silence, which has proven ineffective, the columnist recommends a new tactic: reacting with bemused bafflement. By labeling the content as 'weird' rather than engaging in debate or expressing hurt, the reader may disrupt the mindless cycle of sharing. The advice highlights how social media algorithms can distort users' perception of universal experience, urging a shift in tone to preserve the friendship while setting boundaries.
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Advice on Handling a Friend's Unsettling Social Media Shares
This article from The Guardian's 'Leading Questions' column features advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith addressing a reader's dilemma regarding a thirty-year friendship. The reader is distressed by a long-distance friend who frequently sends disturbing social media videos, conspiracy theories, and political content despite repeated requests to share only positive or cute material. The friend, whose life is described as difficult, seems unaware of the impact her sharing has, treating the reader more like an audience than a confidante. Gordon-Smith analyzes this behavior through the philosophical lens of Harry Frankfurt’s concept of 'bullshit,' suggesting the friend is indifferent to truth rather than malicious. Instead of serious confrontation or silence, which has proven ineffective, the columnist recommends a new tactic: reacting with bemused bafflement. By labeling the content as 'weird' rather than engaging in debate or expressing hurt, the reader may disrupt the mindless cycle of sharing. The advice highlights how social media algorithms can distort users' perception of universal experience, urging a shift in tone to preserve the friendship while setting boundaries.
The Guardian