I know brands are stupid on social platforms. 

No, no. Don’t protest. You know it’s true. After all, brands on social platforms rely on phenomenally expensive “social command centers” to monitor news and commentary all so they can say such amazingly clever things like, “It’s Christmas, so we hope everyone is drinking Zoom Zoom cola. It’s what Jesus would do.”

Whatever.

But what I’m concerned about is the rut that the rest of us have fallen into. Because while I know social media is the “consumer’s voice” and all the rest of that horse poo-cock-ka about the “power of conversation,” we’ve gone off the deep end with complaining.

You know it’s gotten bad when people are complaining about the complaining regarding the complaints about the complaint. It’s like someone has transported me back into a virtual living room with my dad grousing about the TV announcers who are grumbling about the player who is yelling at the referee.

We’ve taken the most incredible leap forward in community conversation and worldwide connectivity and are using it like a cranky old man sitting on a lawn chair in his front yard. I’m guilty of it. You are too.

There are two kinds of meetings. One is the kind where everybody points fingers at problems and self-importantly deflects criticisms. The other is where people come together collaboratively with their best ideas to solve the problem.

I don’t care who was tweeting marketing links relentlessly during the Boston bombings. And I shouldn’t be telling people how they should not be complaining about people who were tweeting when they shouldn’t be.

It’s time we bring our best selves to the table. Just do what you think you should be doing and stop worrying about everyone else. Because old guys in shorts, black socks and flip-flops telling you to get off their lawn are still just as annoying online as they are in real life.

​And yes, I know how incredibly meta I'm being, complaining about the need to not complain. So I've included a comment box for you to complain at me. I'm nothing if not a giver.