What I Find Shocking on Social Media and Tumblr

Now before I launch into this morning's diatribe, I have to give a little preemptive strike. Facebook and Twitter are much more controlled environments, and I only find my jaw dropped onto the ground occasionally. Where I am suffering the most shock and awe is on Tumblr. Don't get me wrong, I like Tumblr and I use it for Brea's Blog. When I am on Tumblr and I do my most exploring is when I run into stuff that is mind-blowing! The difference between Tumblr and other social media like Facebook and Twitter is that it's geared toward bloggers. What you find in the blogger world are a lot of fan sites. Again, don't get me wrong, I like fans. I am trying to build a fan following for my own book California Girl Chronicles. The average run-of-the-mill fan is fabulous. We need fans to support our books at 3L Publishing. So, these comments are not aimed at pleasant "fandom" where boundaries and rationale logic apply. These comments are aimed at fans who have gone a wee bit overboard and fallen into oblivious zealousness where etiquette and boundaries seem to have fallen apart. Here are some of the shockers: fans who use someone's behind as their profile picture (hmm ... not a very good representation of the person ... or is it?); film clips grabbed of a sex scene and repeated on a loop (there is something about this one that definitely drops the jaw and leaves it rolling across the floor); film clips of someone's breasts, butt or other body parts ... again, on a repeated loop. I suppose Tumblr has no rules or restrictions on nudity, because I've even gotten an eyeful of a girl parts ... up close!

Now it's not a matter of me seeking out nude pictures and the like. You run into them if you scroll your channels. You can, of course, roll over the top of offending pictures and block anyone who is following you that posts this stuff, but the greater observation is one of just plain, ole creepiness. Free speech whatever ... you know I'm good with that, but since when did anyone imagine their sex scenes on film would end up on a loop? I just don't know how to describe why this is so creepy, but it is. And it's not just the guys who do it. The girls are just as bad. In the end, whatever floats your boat, but really what does this say about our society on some deeper level? Are we all turning into a bunch of voyeurs who obsess so much on our favorite actors and actresses that we lose all sense of appropriate posting and forget something called boundaries. And even more amazing while in the past someone who would do something like loop two people having sex might show some discretion about showing only a few trusted friends, these folks show absolutely no shame! Let it rip! Put your "fandom" or "sexdom" right out for all to see! Just remember, though, your future boss can see your videos, too ... or how about your mother! Just remindin'!

And here is a kudos! Finally I saw a fan girl respond with a proper answer. A question was posed on a True Blood-related site about what this blogger thought of Alexander Skarsgard dating Charlize Theron. The blogger's response was pitch-perfect. She essentially said that while she loves that Skarsgard plays Eric Northman so well, it is none of her business who he dates. So, she had no comment! Go girlfriend! A proper answer from a proper fan. Who our favorite actors or actresses date or what they do in their spare time outside of our favorite shows is absolutely none of our business. Unless it's a personal interview that the person has shared with the world, comments about one's dating life should be left alone. Unlike some other people, I don't think I have a right to encroach on another person's personal life and what he or she does outside of the work just because he or she is in the public eye. And that's definitely a "just-saying" comment.