Wyn Caudle
Business Manager
As I sit here debating what to write, I’m finding myself second guessing every thought that I have. Worried that, for some reason, the thought that I share would be judged harshly by anyone reading it, so much so that I keep convincing myself to no longer write about each topic. Why? I’m realizing that this worry in of itself is a topic to talk about. Why do I, and so many others, put so much care into how we’re being publicly perceived?
I think in part the cause is growing up with the internet. Anything you say or do at any point in life has the risk of being recorded and published everywhere. The idea of “privacy” has become a room with clear glass walls on all sides and a revolving door. There, but not really existent.
So how does a person go about their life, then? Do you share your thoughts even if they are not fully formed and perhaps have phrasings that are worded in a more direct and harsh way than you would want to come across? How do you decide what opinions are for yourself only and what is for the general public?
I think maybe the best answer is that there needs to be space for people to make mistakes as they are learning and gathering information about topics; to have space to ask questions before getting criticism. Really, I think there should be more grace given as a person is learning about something. I also know that with topics close to home, that can get difficult.
Maybe it’s the fact that I’m a college student, but a productive discussion is something that I value. Maybe someone says something and you have a very different response, that is totally okay and normal. Voicing that, then, allows for a conversation to start up regarding the ‘whys.’ Why have we reached different understandings on the same topic? Is there information that someone has that I don’t? That I do that someone else doesn’t?
This goes back to the “privacy” that I mentioned earlier. Now that a lot of conversations are happening over messages, there is always the risk of something being spread when it was meant to be a one-on-one conversation. It gets tricky, then, because a person may be messaging to sort out their understanding of a topic and those words are going to be rough and unrefined.
Those sharp-edged words that could potentially hurt are not meant to be shared with a larger audience and are meant to stay as drawing boards — not meant to be seen by many. Sometimes, though, they are spread to wider communities and this is where a lot of miscommunication online happens — ultimately leading to people not wanting to share their opinion. These harsh, unfiltered thoughts are put under public scrutiny and so any other public opinion that may be a more refined, clearly worded thought is directly compared to the original message, ignoring the intent behind the message and rather focusing on the way it was delivered.
Seeing this happen over and over again across media platforms growing up has made me so aware of what I type and what I say online. It has made me be very conscious of my digital footprint and how other people are seeing me. It has made me overly cautious as I share opinions, knowing that whatever is posted publicly will follow me for the rest of my life.
We need to be conscious, yes, of what we say and do. However, not to the point where we say nothing. It is better to share something and be wrong and have a productive conversation than stay silent and confused or silent and ignorant. To be human is to make mistakes and learn from them. I am nervous for how this viewpoint will be perceived, but, well, isn’t that the point I’m trying to make? It’s okay to be seen and okay for people to feel differently than how you do. That’s life.
