I'm very glad that I realized, after years of thinking being deeply immersed in breaking news was crucial somehow to being a good and involved citizen, that it just... wasn't. That there is a lot of value in waiting for better information. What made me realize that this was true was active shooter after active shooter and random people posting things like "They're saying there's a second shooter." Who is saying that? Why are you, random person, posting about it? After the Boston Marathon bombing when social media (mostly Reddit) kept identifying the wrong people as the bomber, I was really like... we are fucking this up. We are making already hard things harder on everyone by racing to be the first person to decide something and the first person to say something and the first person to share something. That as a motivator is just as stupid as the days when people commented "First!" under a YouTube video. It is okay to take a moment and say, "I don't know. I need more information." You don't have to be first.

Sorry a little rant but, I think it's probably much easier for some ppl to, uhhh, discuss politics/ issues online that could lose them work than it is for other ppl. So I don't feel like saying everyone can feel free to post whatever feelings they have publicly in social media is actually always true.

Cos some of us can't afford to take that risk to begin with, and a lot of ppl from minority BGs esp, no matter how they say smth or what they're saying, will be interpreted and targeted as being 'difficult' 'outspoken' 'a trouble maker'

I have gen been declined from editors before who the day before my post were very clear they were ready to work with me n then declined with a very vague reason, not because I said anything they disagreed with, but I think because I was criticizing low pay and lack of diversity in publishing. So due to the type of book I was working on, I think that got interrupted as 'they will kick up a fuss if I offer low pay/make a mistake when discussing autism' So I think it's not enough that what you're saying is true, not always, I mean I've seen how poc are treated for saying one thing Vs how white ppl are treated for saying the same thing 😅

So I'm sorry I just think it's not so easy for everyone and you maybe shouldn't downplay ppls concerns about how much they share opinions online entirely..