Speak Out

By Editor-in-Chief Claire Watson

Hello wonderful readers. I’m glad to welcome you back for another fantastic issue. The holidays are swiftly approaching, but we’ve still got time for a couple more great reads. 

Social media is a terrifying place. As I glance down at my phone, I’ve access to a plethora of information from across the world, and that is brilliant. Our Opinion Editor has a great article this week on accessing news and the advantages of social media journalism. And while for the most part, I know it’s a privilege to be able to access so much information, it’s terrifying too. 

With how easy it is to post we tend to become quite emotional online. Usually, this is a good thing. When the world is as on fire as it is, empathy is essential. It is uplifting to see how ready people online are to care about global issues. When Palestine was forced into a blackout, people made sure that attention, and hope, remained with the Palestinian people. Our News Reporter has a fantastic interview with a man sharing his experience of living in the West Bank. People are using social media to show their love and support for the world, and that is crucial.

But time and time again, my feed is flooded with petty arguments between mutuals online. Countless times I’ve seen people indirectly guilt trip one another for what they’ve posted. What is a personal grievance for you, is someone else’s life and suffering. The passive bickering just detracts from the issue at hand and, when no one knows who is being targeted, it has the effect of making others afraid to speak out on an issue. Speaking out is a privilege. Why would you use a humanitarian crisis as fuel for your personal drama? 

For the most part, I am lucky to have surrounded myself with empathetic people. I refrain from saying like-minded, though there are some stances that I just cannot listen to; it is important to not contain yourself to an echo-chamber of a singular opinion. But I know that the people I follow on social media are supportive, politically active, and are against bigotry. We all have a responsibility to be compassionate, especially when it comes to such important, and often personal, topics. 

I don’t like to use this space as a rant, but this is something that’s been on my mind lately. I’m still struggling to find the words to describe the conflicting feelings I have. We are one of the first generations to be navigating the online world, and learning how to interact in these spaces is an ongoing process. Be kind, speak out.