this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2023
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This is a little bit of a ramble, so if it’s not allowed here my apologies.

Earlier I received some disturbing and nasty comments that had left me disheartened, but I truly believe it is important to fight negativity through creativity and spreading positivity in return, not necessarily to those people who are actively causing harm, but in our actions moving forward. I wanted to choose to do so by posting this message here.

In a world where we are constantly bombarded with criticism and judgment, torn down for being ourselves and for trying to merely live our lives, and where unfortunately more and more people seem to lack empathy and the ability to be kind to each other, it is crucial to remind ourselves and others that we all deserve a safe space to be heard, as long as we are not harming others.

I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone out there who is reading this that you are a beautiful and lovely person. Your existence matters, and your voice deserves to be heard. Each and every one of us brings something unique and valuable to this world, and it is important to celebrate our differences and support one another, especially throughout these difficult times.

I’m not perfect by any means, my emotions certainly get the best of me sometimes, but I hope that we can all keep striving to create an environment where kindness, empathy, and understanding prevail. I hope that we can build a community that uplifts and encourages one another, rather than tearing each other down. I hope that mentality can spread beyond the internet and into the world where it is so desperately needed right now.

If you got this far, thank you for reading this. You are amazing just the way you are. Thank you for existing. Please keep shining your light and spreading positivity wherever you go, and make sure to take care of yourself as best as you can.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Well said! I would also like to add that we shape the community here (and in Social Media in general) through our interactions.

Whenever we post, we are making a conscious choice to interact with a human (or possibly a bot, beep boop). Even if we are disagreeing with that human, the act of replying is, in some ways, a vindication of their point of view. You felt, among all the posts on the Internet, everywhere, to reply to that one.

So if someone posts nonsense or gibberish that doesn't help the discussion at all, and spreads negativity about you or other people, you are under no obligation to respond! These people are negative because they seek conflict. The worst outcome in the world for them is if you simply ignore them, because it means that you didn't think enough of their opinion to respond.

Don't feed the trolls!