Vow of Disconnection

Vow of Disconnection

I want to assure you

I will not be polarized in either opposing direction for any subject matter with designs to broadcast rhetoric. Rhetoric intending to polarize and cause people to disconnect.

I want to assure you

I will maintain my well-being to be part of a shared reality with you and with others. I will not disparage my relationship with you based on the thoughts and feelings of others. I will do my best to honor individual relationships and to hold my place within the collective reality. 

I want to assure you

I may maintain my shared reality with others you may know, even when you may have disconnected from them. I will not invalidate your choice for having disconnected. I will not disconnect from someone until I experience it to be my only choice that I must disconnect from them. 

I do this to honor myself, to honor you, and to honor others.

Some thoughts come in a flow of consciousness. A download or picking up a wavelength, processing some cultural ethos, whatever it may be. Vow of disconnection seems to be a natural consequence of many sentiments coming my way this year.

In terms of sensemaking, it makes sense that people will veer toward different things. In the process they may veer away from each other. This has always been the case. Now with social media and online communication so prevalent, perhaps people are remaining connected when they’d otherwise be apart. 

It’s ok to veer apart. At times it’s necessary to disconnect. The question becomes whether the decision is being made at one’s free will. With growing awareness of polarizing aspects of online platform, there can be even stronger urge to assert one’s disapproval and disconnection with others. We’ve already seen the “Us versus Them” game play out in media and politics. The divisiveness keeps evolving.

We are evolving with it. A counterpart to this aspect of disconnection, is to deliberately affirm one’s stance on this aspect of life and living with others. We are witnessing more and more online proclamations of blocking, unfriending and disconnecting. Outward ultimatums stating that if one doesn’t agree on certain matters, then they should disconnect.

I truly believe to each, their own. People have the right to make these decisions and choose their criteria for disconnection. Only now, we are publicly seeing this more frequently. Therefore, it may be necessary for everyone to proclaim where they stand with their beliefs on the matter, whether stating it publicly or privately. Hence, the vow of disconnection.