Member-only story
Why Can’t I Stop Arguing With Strangers on the Internet?
I don’t want to stop standing for what I believe to be right, but I can’t keep engaging in something that is slowly eating me alive
“This is the last time I’ll argue on the internet”
This is what I tell myself at least on a weekly basis after getting into it with someone I don’t even know either on Facebook or Twitter.
The person on the other side of the screen might be random, but the topics usually aren’t. I’m a staunch defender of science, dietary health, and trans rights. But, being so vocal about it has led to plenty of online scuffles that have left me feeling like absolute crap — the kind that has been digested multiple times in a cow’s stomach.
Logically, I know there are no winners. No one is going to change their mind because of what I’ve said and I’m not going to change my mind. But I can’t stop myself.
When did I decide it was my personal responsibility to educate the masses?
When did I put that weight on myself?
I like to believe the best in people. I try to believe that somewhere there is good in everyone.
