with everything that's happened in about the last week or so, i've seen a noticeable shift in the type of content that shows up on my timelines. and i mean, rightfully so... because that only means that everyone is taking to social media to express their emotions as a result of the recent breaches in justice against black lives. i get that. but, while i am a supporter of using social media as a way of creating organic conversations that allow people to positively express themselves, i also feel as though i'd remissed if i did not acknowledge the fact that some of us aren't sharing for the sake of organic relationships and change... we are sharing for a shot at a few seconds of fame. i'm just being honest. and although it is not only applicable to black people, here is a list of some of the things i've noticed we do (or don't do) on social media, repeatedly.. as it pertains to speaking on issues of race and/or social injustice. 

6). knowing the facts is necessary.

don't be so quick to share and repost when you haven't taken the time to 1)read what you're sharing and 2)check the legitimacy of what you're sharing. and i'm not just talking about reading the headers, either (witcho' lazy self). if you feel compelled to share it, comment on it, like it or whatever to it.. you need to feel equally compelled to read it. not some of it, all of it. sharing inaccurate and/or unreliable information reduces your credibility and ultimately makes you look foolish. bottom line, don't get in the habit of sharing and liking just for the sake of sharing and liking.

5). social media is a public space. 

that's right. even if your page is private, it's likely that someone you don't know will see something you posted because someone in your friend list shared, liked, commented, retweeted or marked it as a favorite. with that being said, it's very possible that another user may respond to your original post in opposition of what you said. guess what? it happens. social media is a public space...anybody can and will post what they want (just like you did). however, that still doesn't give you the right to act a fool though, which brings me to my next point...

4). don't allow the perspective of others to bring you out of character.

if someone reacts to something you posted in a way that opposes what you said, that isn't the time to take the "i ain't fa none" approach. people disagree. it's a known fact. and quite frankly, the way you respond to people who have viewpoints that differ from your own says much about your own character and level of integrity. to that regard, you should try and be mindful of how you react. in the words of lauryn hill..."respect is just the minimum." we should always govern ourselves in a way that is both respectful and accurate. the moment you get pulled out of character is the moment you've lost control...and the argument for that matter. so, keep calm. 

3). you do not have to post and/or comment on everything.

ever heard the saying, "not everything deserves a reaction"? it's true. for some strange reason, there's a misconception among many of us that the number of times we post about an issue of social injustice is reflective of our level of "woke". ray is here to tell you that this is false. not everything deserves a repost, share or comment, folks. as a matter of fact, it's annoying when people do it, especially when it's about something that just happened. chances are, we have access to the same news outlets anyway (whether it's traditional or social media). that means i'm seeing the same information you are...which means i don't need to see you posting it over and over. it just makes everyone kinda weary of the topic at hand, ya know?

2). am i a bandwagon activist?

while i'm on the topic of being cognizant of how frequently you post and/or comment on issues of social injustice, it's probably a good idea for you to take an honest inventory of your intent. ask yourself, "when was the last time i made a post about an issue of social injustice?" if the last time you made a post (or posts) about it was the last time a white cop killing a black male received national attention... you've got some nerve. everyone wants to be "woke" but not everyone is willing to lose sleep. if that's you...it's you. own it. don't try to be overly concerned when it's convenient. people can always tell who's real and who's not, anyway.

1). spelling matters. 

if eye sat here and tiped all of my blawgs like this, you'd really question the legitimacy of what i was saying. the same holds true for what we post on social media. for that reason, you should get in the habit of using spellcheck, it's such a useful tool. in the same token, you should also take note of what you endorse (share). i can't tell you how many times i've seen something that i wanted to share but didn't because there was a spelling error. that's because (in my mind) spelling errors distract the reader from the content, which ultimately weakens the effect of what i was trying to convey in the first place. and the crazy thing is... i've seen posts with  more errors than a little bit and still manage to get over a thousand shares. craziness.