I Wish You’d Make It Easier, People.

One of the things that I like about the internet is that, for the most part, it’s pretty easy to use. The basic concept involves clicking on things. The things you click take you to other places and let you see interesting things and usually there are more things to click and, in short, it’s all about clicking.

I also like that the internet is filled with opinions. I do not agree with all of them – or even most, I suspect – but they’re out there and it’s interesting to read what other people think of important stuff (like laws and governmental things) and not-so-important-things (like ice cream flavours or breeds of cats). The traditional media, like newspapers and the news programs on TV, are supposed to be unbiased (oh, ha ha) but when you venture online you can find crazy people espousing awesomely weird beliefs.

If you’re like me, it can be fun to read the opinions of people who think in a way with which you absolutely do not agree. I call this “knowing your enemy” but it’s not usually a big ugly thing. It’s just that I figure I need to know where people are coming from if I’m going to argue with them or even just stand up for my own beliefs. I like to challenge my own thoughts.

So, for someone who’s pro-choice, it’s good to read the stuff that’s anti-choice. For someone who’s a rabid meat-eater, it can be interesting to read about people who are vegans. Pick any issue you feel strongly about and go find the opposite opinion online – if you can find someone who writes well about things, it can be seriously fascinating to see what they believe/feel/think on the subject. It might strengthen your own feelings or shift them or cause you to ponder things from a different perspective. All good!

(I do ask that you not turn into some sort of troll. Remember that you willingly wandered into their opinion and you don’t get to hang around being an asshole and telling them why they’re wrong, even if you KNOW WHY THEY ARE WRONG. Just observe ‘em and save your arguments for your spouse, friend or blog.)

Online, there are a few sites that I read, regularly, that have certain feminist slants to their stories. There are a few that have political slants that I favour, too. And I wish they’d do more than simply report the issues. I want them to tell me what I can DO. Make it easy for me. Give me an email address where I can complain about something, a snail-mail address where I can write, a link to a petition, the fax # for the corporate office..

Hell, when you write an article about an awesome new restaurant, a store or a book, please include info too! Maybe I want to check out that new shop – why do I need to google it when you could have included a link in your article?

The internet is this awesome place of clicking. I want to be able to click!

What got me thinking about it was this article, in which “Canadian medical students practice gyno exams on unconscious patients without their consent.” Now, I have a very strong opinion on this, what with having a vagina and all, so I read it and wondered who I could write to about my feelings as a vagina-owner who could someday need surgery and who would prefer the surgery focus on the medical need and not, y’know, MY VAGINA. The article didn’t tell me.

I clicked through (internet = clicking!) to the article on the Globe and Mail web site. Again, outcry about how it’s not an appropriate thing — but no info about what I should do about it, whether I agree or disagree.

(For the sake of conversation, I disagree with it – and, over the years, I’ve let many doctors-in-training examine my nether regions during their training. I wholeheartedly consent to any medical student doing pretty much anything to me, really, since I’d like them to turn into real doctors who know HOW to do those things in a skilled manner. I’m not squeamish, but other people are, so I figure it’s sort of my duty to my fellow patients to do what I can, y’know?)

It’s been noted in many of my social work-related classes that Canadians are very apathetic when it comes to protesting. There are a lot of opinions tossed around about why, exactly, we don’t leap up and take action at (perceived) injustices. One professor referred to us as lemmings who trust our government will always act in our best interests; we get fired up, of course, but then say, “Eh, I’m sure the government won’t do anything stupid…”

Umm.. Yeah.

So what I want is for more people to start including information in their blog posts, news articles, and other online-media about how people can respond to issues. If there’s a government body involved, include contact information. If there’s a corporation involved, include contact information. I’m not asking for anyone to play favourites: if there are petitions for BOTH SIDES, include both sets of information for people who support either perspective!

Because here’s the thing: I have no idea who to contact about this.

Is it the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care? The Ontario Medical Association? Or are doctors and hospitals governed by Health Canada for something like this? Perhaps the Canadian Medical Association? The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario? Or how ’bout the Health Council of Canada?

WTF? SERIOUSLY, WTF?

So, online media outlets, could you please cut me some slack here? Could you please start telling me how I can express my opinions – whether I agree or disagree – in a way that doesn’t require me to google for an hour before banging my head on the desk in defeat?

(And, while we’re on the subject, if anyone DOES know who to contact about this, could you leave a comment? Thanks.)