What is the Sathya-Dharma-Shanti-Prema way and only Sathya-Dharma way of reacting on social media when someone calls you a vulgar word?

Last updated on 3rd Dec. 2018

Now I must first say that since Sathya Sai Mahasamadhi (end April 2011) and me becoming active on social media (from Sept. 2011) - first blog and then additionally Facebook - I have been forced by my inner urges to focus on Sathya (Truth) & Dharma (Ethical behaviour) in my words and actions, sometimes losing out on Shanti (Peace) and Prema (Love). Even in Sathya & Dharma, I do not claim to be perfect. Note that Dharma is a very wide-ranging term and I think it varies from community to community as the social norms vary from community to community. But I try very hard to follow Sathya & Dharma as I perceive it.

In social media, mainly on Facebook, sometimes I have got into arguments. I have my human flaw of anger and do get provoked at times by comments that I view as grossly unfair to me. So I give back through my comments. But I limit myself to words like joker, weird, nonsense etc. when I have to respond to grossly unfair and harsh words directed at me by somebody else.

Now, at times, the language can then descend to the gutter-level with vulgar words being used, as is not uncommon in social media in general. That's a red line for me. So if I am called a vulgar word by somebody, I prefer to disengage from the conversation, and block that person on Facebook. I feel that I should not descend to the same gutter-level and show the other person that I too know many choice vulgar words and throw it at that person. I think that will be inappropriate not only from a Sathya-Dharma-Shanti-Prema way but also from an only Sathya-Dharma way.

Vulgar-name calling against a particular person is pure aggression without any logical reason. Once a social media conversation descends to pure aggression without logical reasoning, I think it is better to disengage with the person, and to prevent further provocation, simply block the person on Facebook. If a person is not capable of conversing on social media without resorting to vulgar-name calling against me then it is better that I cut off all social media interactions, as well as real life interactions, if any, with that person. That's my view.

Any comments including dissenting views from readers are welcome.
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My Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2349286385287925, associated with this blog post, has some comments saying that not responding to such comments, which is what I did, is the right thing to do.