Everyone who knows me knows that I love Twitter. Everyone who’s ever taken so much as a sideways glance at the Asbury Twitter community knows that I really love Twitter.
It can be a really great thing. Twitter — like all forms of social media — is a way to stay connected with friends near and far, stay up-to-date on the latest happenings and browse the most popular memes.
However, Twitter can also be extremely toxic. It is all too easy to open the app on your phone and let your thoughts pour out during a rage. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, we do not think things through and simply want to let our feelings out; social media is always there, unfiltered and easily accessible, so we unload on the internet and our innocent followers fall victim.
The most dangerous aspect of this is that many times the posts we produce during an anger-induced frenzy have not been well-thought-out or fact-checked, which leads to the spread of misinformation.
This issue truly came to light and became deeply personal following recent events within our community. For the sake of this piece I’m not taking sides, but I will make one bold statement — many people, current students and alumni alike, made rash decisions online.
Scrolling through my Twitter feed revealed that the majority of people speaking did not know exactly what was going on. Simply put, they were hurting and were coping in the only way they knew how.
Twitter is a good place to vent. However, things get messy when you’re addressing a large issue that you do not entirely understand, and when assumptions and accusations start being made.
As someone who is close to the issue and who is deeply integrated into Asbury’s Twitter community, I beg of you, think before you post.
Do your research to ensure your information is correct. Make sure that the parties affected are aware of what you are saying about them. Do not be selfish. Breathe. Be aware. Remember, these posts will be around forever.
The things we say online oftentimes add fuel to the fire and make things worse. This is already a tough decision and a delicate situation and we must remember that. Think through your posts before you put anything online, and think about what the impact of your words will be.
