Being unfriended and freedom of expression

Freedom of Speech – I give a thumbs up to thumbs down anyday!

I have really grown and changed for the better over the past 6 – 18 months. It hasn’t been easy at times, but I have pushed myself everyday to kick vices, eat healthier, work out harder and right now I am proud – I have finally stopped biting my nails (yay!).

As I have been reflecting on my own business and marketing lately (especially online). I quite like thinking back to my losses, wins and situations historically.

To me, freedom of expression is a very high value to the point where I have defended the right for people to criticise me. I think it’s very good and as part of my own commentating I have been studying areas of society which attract controversy, e.g. Feminism, Islam, Freedom of Speech, Donald Trump, Protection of Rights, Racism and those type of themes.

A few years ago when I started getting more expressive, I originally attracted a lot of criticism from people I was surrounded by and connected too on Facebook. This doesn’t happen anymore (because I am surrounded by awesome people – including you reading this blog) which makes me smile on many levels.

I remember one interesting case where I got unfriended who I was friends with. They didn’t like my political views and got offended by it – unfriended me and then put pressure on me to change my tune on several levels. I then remarked that I don’t mind being unfriended and it made the person more upset and drove them to try and curb my speech on greater levels. I most certainly didn’t and even though being unfriended did ruffle me at the time, it later on got me thinking more on this topic in a deeper level. I remember as well this colleague I had (some years ago) that was really upset about being unfriended by people. I really supported them, then about a year later they unfriended me on Facebook. Love it.

These days, being unfriended doesn’t phase it me at all. In fact, I makes me think less of the person doing it (assuming I even notice which I rarely do). I think that if people unfriend us, it’s a great thing in that they are choosing to move on from me.

This is great, as it creates space in your life / head for great new people to come in. One lesson I learned great in this regard was that I used to incorrectly think:

+ I should watch what I say so I don’t upset my so called ‘friends’.

Today, it’s been superseded with the superior viewpoint of:

+ I only want to be ‘friends’ with actual friends!

It’s quite a liberating standpoint and equally too – if someone is mean to me on Facebook, I reserve the right to unfriend too. It’s great and I have learned that the ‘unfriend’ feature of Facebook is actually a very positive thing.

It used to rattle me (as it does many), but in reality it’s a great feature. The people who I referred to that unfriended me on Facebook are the type that I don’t gel with at all, and it’s great!

My advice friends? Be kind, honest, direct and speak to issues with facts. With that in mind, freedom of speech can be a productive tool that works well for anyone.

It’s very important for our marketing, we have to speak our minds and talk about what we do with strength for it to be compelling.

Freedom of speech is awesome, I love it and the unfriend Facebook feature is a great supporter of that. People can choose to opt-out which is great. Make it your friend too, speak your mind and win.

Love your work, thank you for the read and stay awesome!