Way back when before I got married and became a husband/father/broker dude, I took a year off from the rat race and worked as a bartender. Tending bar is not as easy as it looks; You work the hours of the manager, you need the skills of the servers in addition to mixing a hundred types of drinks, all the while hosting a party at the bar. Among the rules observed from bartending school to the real world was the prohibition of religion and politics. The subjects are divisive enough-mix in booze and you are asking for trouble.
Of course, anyone in real estate already knows this; we aren't in the business to share our feeling about Obamacare, the 2012 election, or what end of the egg to break. It distracts from our job, which is to help people buy and sell real estate.
Earlier this evening, I read a status update from one of those feaux Facebook friends you confirm because of the mutual people you have in common. The words were incredibly incendiary, relating to July 4, and stated in part the following:
People who celebrate days like today, usually don't have too much else going on in their lives to be excited about.
Of course, I read this as Ann and I were preparing to take the brood out to see the fireworks, and the comment stream was just awful- instead of stepping back from the slop the person stepped in, we were treated to why they thought that we should observe this on Labor Day and that on Memorial Day, as if they knew what you should think about when. My father's cousin, Tom Faranda, perished on the D-Day invasion of Normandy. My won dad was a veteran of two wars and won a Bronze Star. July 4 is one of those days I observe their sacrifices and hardships. My political friend thinks I am wrong. Lovely.
Now, let me ask a question. Is that the purpose of social media? To offend people? If you've gotten a referral or two from Active Rain as I have, is it because you sleep in a certain zip code only, or because your words instilled some confidence in the reader? I have been fortunate to be the recispient of literally dozens of referrals from fellow 'Rainers, and not a one of them truly knows my politics, my inner feelings on religion, or my attitude about many of the things we see people arguing about these days. It is antithetical to the resources we devote there, week after week and month after month to foster trust and rapport with our colleagues to throw it all away by offending someone.
Personally, I would never refer something in this person's market area to them. Not because I dislike their political views, but because they have crappy judgement. I won't risk a client or a check on a loose cannon.
Unless you get paid for it, leave the punditry outside. Politcs are only profitable for politicians. Social media is no place to talk politics or religion, unless you hate referrals and like to eat Cup a Soup 4 times a week.
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