2020 has been a very interesting year for me. In one year, I’ve had the unfortunate experience of having my name trashed on Facebook – both personally and professionally.
It’s amazing what can happen when someone decides to TRASH your name in a social media environment – in many cases, based on information that actually turns out to lack a lot of FACTS.
Trashers tend to pull their posts and then go hide under a rock.
They are cowards.
They are weak.
Still, what do you do if you find yourself in the position of having your name TRASHED?
In many cases, you can make it a legal matter – but you shouldn’t pull that trigger until you have enough evidence to really nail someone to the wall.
The advice you will hear from most is, “Just move on!” “Move forward!” “Take the high road!”
In the case of the business trashing, I took the road that put me at peace. I lashed out in an effort to clear my name. The results were mixed.
Most recently, a personal experience had me try something new; I took the high road. Even as a great deal of INACCURATE vitriolic garbage was spewed onto Facebook, I sat quietly – hoping that intelligent people would scratch their heads and figure that there was far more to the picture than what an inherently “feable-minded” individual wanted people to believe.
It’s a funny thing if you have a strong personality, or even worse – being a male with a strong personality. The trashing tends to stick, more often than not due to the fact that the “victims” are inherently weak. It’s the disparity between the strong and the weak that creates empathy and sympathy for the allegedly “injured” frail little butterfly. People love to run to the bedside of the weak and throw rocks at the “bad guy.” I get it.
If the “bad guy” protests, then he’s automatically perceived to be TWICE as guilty.
So what do you do?
Do you prepare an elevator speech when
approached about your “crimes”?
Do you simply refuse to comment when
presented with your “crimes”?
Personally, when I’m attacked, my philosophy is this: If you throw a stone, I will respond by launching a non-stop assault of boulders. The attack may not happen right away, but I never ever let something go until there is justice. I don’t know if there is such thing as karma, but if there is – I know a few people who are going to get a very big dose.
Interestingly, one of the individuals who chose to trash me can’t seem to get life together. This person is forever the victim…of everyone…and everything. This person’s circumstances are a result of everyone else’s doing (or at least that’s what this person wants everyone to believe).
I understand that TRASHERS are often advised to bypass an apology….”Because with time, things will heal!” That’s simply bad advice. For some folks (like me), the longer justice waits, the worse things get.
I am human…I make mistakes. I apologize for that which I have done wrong. I don’t run and hide. I own it.
Do you do the same?
Have A GREAT Day!
…Dr Marc