Public Vs Private Thought

 (This is a revised version of my Monday post)

We all have private and often distasteful thoughts about the world. Opinions about someone’s appearance, behavior, politics etc. but we keep them to ourselves. They are not meant to be shared but now we have a way to vent our dark nature.

It’s called the internet.

An EMT made a disparaging remark about Charlie Kirk after his shooting and a conservative Christian--a total stranger --took upon himself to locate where she worked and get her fired. She made an unkind remark about someone’s death and he took it personally enough to wreck her career. Neither should have done that and for what the purpose?

Social media allows people to express private thoughts they would never say out loud. On the internet no one knows who you are (or that you are a dog as the joke goes). There is no fear of reprisal for otherwise expressing revolting ideas behind anonymity.

Sometimes people offer stark, hurtful comments under their real names because they know, chances are, the person they’re abusing won’t come after them, but when they do, like the cited example, it’s ugly for everyone involved.

People offer an unsolicited opinion, spout whatever justification they have, and genuinely think they’re a good person because they did it. No harm for the stone thrower and they never see the effect it has on the victim so it goes on.

The internet encourages this kind of behavior and it needs to stop if we want to maintain a healthy society. What’s missing is self restraint and critical thinking. Does this comment contribute to the conversion, or is it just more fuel thrown on the fire?

We need to be well mannered, mature adults in public. We need to be safe expressing a view without threat of violence or being outcast. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that doesn’t mean everyone has to agree to it. We have become a nation where differences of opinion to any given narrative is unforgivable. The division this creates is dangerous to democracy and our mental well being. Be kind, it cost nothing and pays in good karma. Ignore it, most of the time it’s just rage bait to get you riled up anyway.

Miss Manners tried to teach us. “One of the biggest sorrows in America is that people want to retaliate against rudeness with rudeness. One of my main missions is to say no, there is no excuse for rudeness.” She’s right and this needs to be a commandment-- not just with real life but on the internet. The next time you rush to the keyboard to express disapproval or outrage, ask yourself, would you want someone to say that out loud to your face?