Hashtag Break
by David Christopher Johnston
When I was younger the world it always seemed so clear
No social media to tell me what to think and to fear
And everybody wasn’t right all the time
And if I wanted to see my friends I’d ring them up on the landline
But nowadays this generation they all seem so mad
Yelling at me like it’s all my fault that the world is so bad
And telling me to “open up my eyes”
Well, how about you put your fucking phone down and go outside?
And what’s with all these sanctimonious celebrities ranting
On social media about inequality (from their iPhones, in their mansions)
Their agenda seems a little offline
When saving the world is in return for more retweets and likes
I won’t deny that the world is in a right awful state
But outside there are lots of people that you might not want to hate
Who are quite nice if you just give them a try
If you just put your fucking phone down and go outside?
Can I get a hashtag break?
So here’s an idea
What if we didn’t always share every thought we think
It might seem “out there”
But I’ve a feeling it’s going to make the world a better place
Because your views on the right, on the left
Who you hate, who you like, and what you’d do instead
Nobody cares
So get out of your armchair, you’re boring us all to death
I guess that I was asleep when the decision was made
To just hate everyone all the time
(You know, just to be extra safe)
But preaching on Twitter doesn’t make you a Saint
And selective tolerance of intolerance doesn’t make you “Woke”
It makes you insane!
So will somebody save me from this runaway train
It’s full of idiots and I don’t have the strength left to explain
That saving the world isn’t about keeping score
And bitching on Insta isn’t winning the war
What if we slowed things down
Would you feel any less angry?
(I doubt it)
And what if we talked things out
Would you consider trying empathy?
(I doubt it)
Fuck it, where’s the reset button?
Can I please get a hashtag break?
So here’s an idea
What if we didn’t always share every thought we think
It might seem “out there”
But I’ve a feeling it’s going to make the world a better place
Because your views on the right, on the left
Who you hate, who you like, and what you’d do instead
Nobody cares
So get out of your armchair, you’re boring us all to death
~
Copyright © 2022 David Christopher Johnston.
David Christopher Johnston hereby asserts and gives notice of his right under s.77 and s.78 of the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work of fiction. All moral rights are asserted.
All rights reserved. No part of this work of fiction may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author. This poem is a work of fiction and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
