I used to think the rise of the internet and the advent of social media as being the most amazing thing to happen in our generation. It gave someone like me, who has always struggled socially, the ability to connect with others on a deeper level, rather than struggling to make conversation during a chance encounter in the grocery store. Over the years, I’d often thought that without it, I’d have morphed into a stereotypical virginal old maid, the sort of crabby patty who screeches at kids for stepping on their lawn. Instead, I have been allowed to blossom socially despite my awkwardness. I thought I would always be grateful for this invention. Since the 2016 election, I’ve changed that outlook. I’ve begun to view Facebook and social media negatively. First, because it often showed me sides of people I wish I didn’t see. People whom I looked up to and admired are racist, homophobic, xenophobic, and lacking in compassion. Second,