Why It’s Good to Post Things You Wouldn’t Dare to Say in Real Life

If you’ve been thinking of sponsoring me, why not do so today :) Upgrade at 30% off“Everybody’s a tough guy behind a keyboard.”I hear people grumble that comment whenever they see something they don’t like on social media.“That person wouldn’t have dared say that to my face because he knows I would have punched his lights out.”When people hear these complaints, they generally nod in agreement. They say things like, “The internet has made us all so disrespectful and uncivilized. I wish we could go back to the way it used to be.”Back to when? Back to a time when narratives could be controlled by the biggest bully in the room?Those that whine about “disrespect” always seem to overlook the fact that they’re the ones threatening physical violence against people who dare to speak their minds.We write things online that we wouldn’t say to people, and that’s not a bad thing. Group dynamics lead to self-censorship. But when you’re sitting at home bathed in the light of a computer screen, you’re able to share your truth to other people with a level of freedom human beings have never previously seen.Honesty takes courageThe things you wouldn’t dare to say around certain people in your life can be shared anonymously. When you do that, you might find that your beliefs aren’t “inappropriate.” With enough sharing over time, you might even come to recognize how your thinking has been compromised.That guy who beats you for saying what you really think isn’t your friend. Who knew?Yes, there’s certainly a lot of bad things on the internet. There’s violence. There’s hostility. There are perverted individuals who harass you digitally. It’s a minefield. But you’ll also encounter a minefield if you walk into a bar and start talking with the customers. The only difference is that human beings have been dealing with physical crowds for centuries.The internet is still newWe’ve seen thousands of rousing speeches given in movies. As of yet, I’ve seen no fictional depictions of a person changing the world with a post. Perhaps it’s because the grumbled threat of “say it to my face,” makes filmmakers fearful to glorify pure intellect rather than an impressive physical presence.The astonishing, beautiful truth is that the internet is filled with articles that represent cultural research. The narrative isn’t dominated by the biggest brute in the room. Everyone is allowed to have their say, and merit determines what point of views proliferate.Naturally the people who can’t win an honest contest feel threatened.The chains of the pastIt’s challenging for people to step away from misconceptions that they’ve clung to all their lives. But that default state of discomfort shouldn’t prevent curious minds from publishing their findings and expressing the truth about our reality.What you’ll often find is that the deceits that we hold dear are responsible for our pain and our frustration and our inability to thrive.When Galileo presented his findings of a sun-centered solar system, it was taken as an assault to the sensibilities of the religious world. They were furious at the idea of having to face a reality in which human beings were not the center of all creation.Perhaps that was the first recorded instance of somebody saying, “Come over here and say that to my face.”A chant to celebrate ignoranceThis battle is ongoing. Only now we live in an age where cultural findings can be accessed with the touch of a smart screen. We’ve become displaced from interpersonal reactions, and though that’s often lamented, it can also be a good thing.Human beings are no longer constrained to sitting on bar stools pontificating the nature of our reality. We no longer have to indulge in self-censorship to appease the volatile temperament of our neighbors.They can’t reach through the screen and hit us, so we can speak our minds.We can take the time to explore and cultivate our thoughts. We can release those arguments completely formed. We don’t have to trickle them out in short phrases while being ever vigilant that we might provoke a hostile response.Write and find your peopleYour arguments are released into the wild where others can read them. Masses of people, rather than just a few, can absorb your observations and apply them as they see fit.This free access to information is often unfairly blamed for social division. But the problem isn’t that people are allowed to speak their minds. The problem is that the masses have been indoctrinated to believe they’re allowed to lash out at anything that offends.Self-righteous entitlement is the source of conflict, not truth.We need more civility in our society, but that should be based on a development of tolerance not a proliferation of censorship. The digital age has created a need to learn a new form of cultural courtesy. We have to recognize that it’s wrong to say, “I’ll hit you for saying that.” Instead, we have to quell our rage and learn how to listen.Truth will endure, we don’t have to protect itThe way it stands now, you encounter impotent anger in comments. Men harass you because they’ve been denied their right to attack. They think it’s been stolen. The truth is it’s not something they ever possessed.Frustration becomes toxic over time. Collectively, we have to develop our willingness to hear challenges to our preconceived ideas. We need to accept that truth will always withstand examination. Truth will withstand peer review.Truth remains true no matter what. Furthermore, once we’ve uncovered a kernel of truth we can use it to create predictions about the unexplored corners of our reality. Truth is a key that opens every door, even doors we haven’t yet perceived.Lies crumble into dustWhen anyone claims it’s “disrespectful” to challenge an idea, it’s because they know that idea will not withstand inquiry. They know the idea isn’t true.As people put forth new and dynamic ideas, our traditional beliefs crumble. Those beliefs can’t withstand the pressure. Fealty to those ideas is as futile as building a castle on a swamp. It results in frustration and denial.But it’s always challenging to expand your mind and accept a new perception of reality. So people are more inclined to take the easy path and accept the limited and inaccurate concepts that have been passed down through generations by individuals who had no access to education, and who possessed little intellectual curiosity.Deep down they know that they have no answers for the mysteries of the universe, but when they carve out an inconsequential position of power, they defend it with the tenacity of self-preservation. “Come over here and say that!”You can’t halt the march of progressOur population has exploded, and technology has greatly improved our access to information. The genie is out of the bottle. You can’t put it back in. This can’t be stopped even with threats of violence and authoritarianism.Even the most stubborn among us are finding it difficult to deny their revered traditions don’t contain the keys to achieving the future they were promised.Even though not every technology is being used for its most enlightened purpose, there are enough curious minds out there who are compelled to follow the light. It’s impossible to prevent the discovery of new insights. We’re not confined by the limitations of the minds at our local bar. We can reach across oceans and find a compatible soul on the other side of the world, and discuss our theories from afar.Perhaps the thing that’s putting the most stress upon the human race these days is how fast we are advancing into the future. The world changes from day to day and it’s frightening. Many people would prefer to deny our reality and go back to an illusion of simplicity. But what they’re failing to recognize is that the appearance of simplicity was paid for by misery.We couldn’t meet challenges, we couldn’t overcome disease, we couldn’t combat pain and agony. We were held in chains by the ill-conceived traditions that have dominated us throughout all of human history.The modern world is breathtakingToday, we find ourselves in a transition phase between holding on to the false comfort of our past, and finding the courage to seize the keys which will unlock a prosperous future.When people sit around and complain that the internet has brought division, they are missing the larger picture. The reality is it’s a good thing that we now have the ability to speak our minds without the fear of an immediate physical deterrent.Brilliant minds can publish their findings for the curious to discover. Not everyone who reads these brave new ideas is offended. Many of them are inspired.We’ve always stood on the shoulders of giants. But now there are so many new giants sprouting up all the time that instead of standing we have to perpetually climb.You all make this newsletter happen! Thanks for your sponsorship! I have payment tiers starting at as little as twenty dollars a year.Upgrade at 30% offUpgrade at 40% offUpgrade at 50% offUpgrade at 60% offI'm so happy you're here, and I'm looking forward to sharing more thoughts with you tomorrow.My CoSchedule referral linkHere’s my referral link to my preferred headline analyzer tool. If you sign up through this, it’s another way to support this newsletter (thank you).I'd Rather Be Writing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to I'd Rather Be Writing at walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe