By Alexis Schlesinger Editorial Staff Just like my peers, I have grown up in an “age of technology.” Though there are a lot of great things about it, it can have a lot of negative impacts. Now, by no means am I here to preach to you about the dangers of “too much screen time” - that is not what I take issue with. My problem is with a trend I’ve noticed since I began participating in social media - the strange phenomenon of people posting things for others to see without naming them. It is never in a pleasant context. The main goal of this type of post seems to be getting a point across to a specific person, as accurately as possible, without tagging them or including their name. This never made sense to me. As someone who has very strong social and emotional perception, I find it very easy to recognize when I am the target of this. It has happened a couple times in the past few years. The strangest part of this trend is that the people perpetuating this behavior do so on their private social media - private stories on Snapchat, close friends stories on Instagram, etc. Social media, and technology in general, has simultaneously made this generation more bold and more cowardly. I don’t necessarily believe in “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” - that’s impossible. What I do believe in, however, is “If you can’t say it to my face, don’t say anything at all.” Maybe the reason you can’t say something to someone’s face is because you are scared of them. It could be you want to form a meaningful connection with them later on despite your feelings now. Maybe they’re your coworker or someone your friends adore despite your hatred toward them. Regardless of your reasoning, posting something nasty with the intention of it reaching them “without being too obvious” is pointless. Here are things you can do instead: Unfollow them on social media. “Hate following” is such a strange thing that our generation takes part in. Similarly, remove yourself from shared spaces in real life. You don’t have to force yourself to interact with people you don’t like. Compromise. Ask yourself, “What is the point in purposefully making yourself miserable by viewing another person’s life highlights?” That is precisely what our social media pages are, our highlights. You will not find any satisfaction or happiness in continuing to keep up with someone you refuse to root for. Consider starting a journal or a diary, as some thoughts are best kept private. Posting nasty things about people that are generally well-liked isn’t going to leave you with a great reputation. Another key point of social media - people are always watching. Consider seeing a therapist. If you feel upset by another person, this is a great outlet to let all your feelings out. Talking to a living, breathing person who is there to listen to your feelings and help you process them will be good for you. I don’t want to come off as a hypocrite. The purpose of this article is not to criticize any particular person, but to criticize the general phenomenon of “hate following” and “vague posting.” However, if you do feel called out, maybe you should re-evaluate your actions. I think we would all be a lot happier if we worried less about other people. Start being more concerned with how you can live an easier life, a less miserable life. You will enjoy yourself more if you don’t base your satisfaction on other people’s misery. There is more to enjoy in life than the downfall you wait to watch, but may never come. I will leave you with this. If you cannot say something to someone’s face, then they have already won. Don’t be a loser. @ me.