Saturday, December 18, 2021

I was bullied and harassed on Facebook.

Online harassment and gas lighting are fearful experiences that many of us struggle to speak in public. I recently got verbally abused, threatened, and harassed on Facebook for posting an ad in Facebook Marketplace. My initial feelings were shame and fear. I hid from the social media. I discussed with close friends. Finally, when I researched resources on online bullying, I came across more articles that highlighted similar issues in Facebook market place.  

I'm sharing my experience here because getting harassed online is terrifying and harmful actions of cyber bullying are NEVER OKAY. No one has to go through it alone. I hope my post can help others with similar issues express their honest emotions without shame or fear. 

Dec 17, 2021 : I posted about a room rental in Facebook market place. A few people messaged me to inquire more details. Few others did not like the price I had quoted. They started abusing me in comments and when I turned off commenting on my post, they flooded me with direct messages in Facebook Market Place that included verbal abuse of me and my cat and some threatening statements that shook my day. 

I reported a few of those messages and deleted the post (if I were to do it again, I would leave it there for documentation). After I reported a few posts that involved negative, harmful content, I discovered Fb locked my account. 

Cyber bullying is a common experience. Common advice is to ignore it (personal experience). Although there is an option to block people in case of harassment, if this event involves not merely an individual, but a group of strangers, it is not trivial to track down every profile and block them. 

I firmly believe any form of bullying/harassment that leaves a traumatic footprint in us is worth bringing to light, so it can motivate others to share their stories about online bullying. Our emotions matter!

Saturday, March 27, 2021

New Books Added to My Shelf

 

  • 1. Get Out of Your Own Way - Mark Goulston (Early morning quick read or late night musings. Provides feasible actions to overcome self-sabotage)
    - https://www.amazon.com/Get-Out-Your-Own-Self-Defeating/dp/0399519904
    2. The Cafe on the Edge of the World - John Strelecky (Short-read, an interesting mix of fiction and philosophy).
    - https://www.amazon.com/Cafe-Edge-World-Story-Meaning-ebook/dp/B08JXJS6QZ
    3. Supernormal - Meg Jay (An extraordinary read. Powerful tales that show how we sometimes hide our deepest emotions by putting a brave face. The author challenges that you can't read it without seeing yourself in it.)
    - https://www.amazon.com/Supernormal-Untold-Story-Adversity-Resilience/dp/1455559156

    Best-loved : Get Out of Your Own Way by Mark Goulston. Here is an brief review.

    Ever wondered what are the most common reasons for basic emotions like procrastination, anger, and fear that sabotage peace? Mark Goulston's "Get Out Of Your Own Way" is a 200-page crash therapy session on self-defeating behaviors. The book teems with anecdotes and usable insights absent of long philosophical discussions.

    Each chapter is short, 4-5 pages long. Get Out Of Your Own Way provides practical lessons for conquering self-defeating behaviors.

    Some of my favorite quotes and usable insights from the book :
    "We promise according to our hope and perform according to our fears" - Francois Duc De La Rochefoucauld.

    "You have to admit that you feel bad before you can feel better".

    "We forgive when we no longer need to blame; we forget when we no longer need to remember".

    " We procrastinate not because we are lazy, but because we are lonely. "


    Another book by the author that caught my eye -"Talking to 'Crazy': How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life". I think I should have started with this book 😉

I was bullied and harassed on Facebook.

Online harassment and gas lighting are fearful experiences that many of us struggle to speak in public. I recently got verbally abused, thre...