We have the responsibility to stop and consider what we say and write, especially on social media.
Jonas Ellison, in his article The Pundit Impulse and the Power of Revision: Bringing humanity back to our published words (links below), talks about how social media has made us all pundits. The ease with which we can push the Publish button makes it too easy to say things without truly thinking them through. We don’t consider who we might hurt or how. And once out there on the internet, there is no taking them back.
When I write for GraceByTheCup.com, I try to wait a day before publishing, mostly for fresh eyes on editing. But I’m also very conscious of the fact that, if my blog is about Grace, then there better be something gracious in what I write! But I don’t do the same when it comes to commenting on other’s posts, especially on Facebook. It is way too easy to reply off the cuff, or share something without thinking it through — which is one reason I don’t spend much time there.
So, I’m doing something a little different this week. My planned post will wait, and I’ve decided to share the links to Jonas’ article with you. While the article is specifically aimed towards writers, I think his thoughts are valuable for all of us who try to communicate with integrity, regardless of our backgrounds or forums. I know it made me stop and do some serious thinking.
For the Medium link: The Pundit Impulse and the Power of Revision
For the Substack link (which shouldn’t require a Medium account): The Pundit Impulse and the Power of Revision
Let me know if you have problems with the links.
Grace, Peace, and Love to you all (with hugs thrown in!)