Internet flamewars do not matter.

This is my view on internet flamewars. I have lost friends over it. I have effectively left a community over it. That sucks but it is life. 1) Do not engage with trolls. 2) Do not argue with folks who try to give you feedback. 3) Do not rush to defend those you care about. Instead: 1) Disengage. 2) Listen or ignore. 3) Encourage those you care about to do the same. Contact them in private; do not ignore them as you ignore events--I have made that mistake.

Social justice matters. Internet flamewars do not matter. Act in the real world. Every petition I sign, every word I say online means nothing. What I do in the real world matters. Important arguments can be had over time. They do not need to happen in an instant.

We are all flawed human beings. Be a critical thinker. Challenge yourself, and challenge those you care about. In private, if need be. If you cannot challenge someone, you cannot be close to them. And if you cannot take their challenges, you cannot be close to them either. What happens in private is as important as what happens in public. What happens in the real world is more important than what happens on a screen.