A bit of restraint that makes a big difference

Cari Nazeer
Forge
Published in
Sent as a

Newsletter

Aug 11, 2020
Photo: Ella Fields/Getty Images

Today’s tip: Practice social distancing online, too.

Social distancing doesn’t just protect us in our real-life interactions; it’s also a strategy for stopping the spread of misinformation online — what the writer Ephrat Livni calls “the first postmodern pandemic.”

Online social distancing “means resisting the urge to directly engage: pausing before diving into that conversation, or sharing a quip, or even before expressing joy or outrage,” she writes. “In that pause, you may find — as I often do — that the expression seems unnecessary.” Language spreads like a virus, Livni notes, but by being more judicious about our digital activity, we can help flatten the curve.

📚 More from Forge on improving life online:

How to Deal With Posting Something You Regret
Read more >>

I Cured My Social Media Addiction By Reading Books
Read more >>

How to Make the Internet Kinder
Read more >>

The Forge Daily Tip is sent every morning via email. ☀️ Subscribe to The Forge Daily Tip here.

You’re subscribed to receive emails from Forge. You can adjust your settings via the link at the bottom of this email.

--

--

Forge
Forge

Published in Forge

A former publication from Medium on personal development. Currently inactive and not taking submissions.

Cari Nazeer
Cari Nazeer

Written by Cari Nazeer

Former lead editor, Forge @ Medium

No responses yet