Oddbean new post about login | logout How much do you think you really self-censor before you post something? I often will write out something, and then edit it a few times and ultimately delete it, for no real particular reason. Perhaps it’s from a deeper subconscious fear of being cancelled or having your account destroyed by whatever fiat service you are posting from. That is now something that cannot happen here.
I self censor quite a lot. Sometimes because I am not certain what I was about to say was correct and other times because what I was about to say was unproductive. The commonly accepted overton window definitely plays a roll in both assessments.
Now this window doesn’t need to define conversations or convention as much. There is a possibility of doing something new, having real, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations outside of that window.
That's nearly the entire reason I am on nostr tbh, but I don't necessarily want to be the first one to cause an uproar. One of the main things that makes X popular is the controversy, but nostr isn't ready for that kind of heat just yet. For now I'm just waiting, watching, and noticing what comes up.
I never self censor. But sometimes I will stop writing something and delete it mid way through because I decide is just not worth it to engage.
Everything I say here I want to say at the time. It’s liberating. It’s irrelevant how meaningful or less the notes are, it’s just about freedom to post. Human and value interaction uncensored as it should be 🤙
I note my current state of mind and hit send Sometimes it's profound, sometimes it's cringe But, it's always authentic
On nostr zero. In my personal life, rarely but it happens
I'd personally would not consider it self-censor in a sense that I give respect to others as much as I want to be respected. I also ask myself, if I am at the receiving end of this, how would I feel? My point is if I speak ill to others, it speaks volume of my character, how much self-respect I have in myself. This is different too from constructive feedback. Respect begets respect. ☺️❤️✌️
Not everything we think needs to be said. If everyone paused a moment before posted, the world would be a better place. Rumi, the Sufi poet, offered these thoughts: Before you speak, let your words pass through three gatesAt the first gate, ask yourself, “Is it true?”At the second gate ask, “Is it necessary?”At the third gate ask, “Is it kind?”~ Rumi
I've heard Quakers add a fourth: "Does it improve the silence?"
I love Rumi and Quakers, but I have to push back on this.. It makes sense, but that makes it too easy a camouflage for tyrannical controls. For example, the UK government can say the people they arrest had it coming because they should have thought it out before saying something objectionable, and at least half the population accepts it. Its moral camouflage. Say your stupid thing. If its offensive, fuck it, it should be offensive to call something offensive. You have a right to exist without being perfect. A perfect world is not full of considerate people - its full of inconsiderate people who aren't easily offended.
I agree. The challenge is a lot of folks aren't all that reflective and tend to ignore the feedback they need. If a person tends to self-censor too much, they need counsel to speak up more, even if it may offend. If a person tends to speak too much, they need counsel to shut up and listen more. If a person tends to speak too obliquely, then need counsel to speak plainly. If a person tends to speak harshly, they need counsel to speak kindly. Mostly we all need more practice, reflection, and feedback from people who care about us.
I just noticed your name. Are you an actual Quaker? I've been wanting to visit a meeting, or whatever its called (not denigrating, just not sure I'm remembering it right). Quakers seem to be the most conscientious, just from what I've read online, and I think that's the key.
Yep, I'm an actual Quaker. I agree conscientiousness is a hallmark of Quakers, online and IRL, but it needs to be continuously worked at . I'm a member of an unprogrammed meeting. Quakerism split a couple times in the 1800s, some folks went along more mainstream evangelical lines, others didn't (the liberal, unprogrammed). So we don't have a minister-- or put another way, everyone is a minister. It's interesting to see how things get done when no one's in charge. My meeting says "meeting" or "meeting house", not church. But I've never met anyone who got sensitive over the term. When I'm talking with folks who aren't familiar with Quakerism, I say "church."
We're all members of the same church in spirit. I think there's some balance that I need to find between structured liturgy and anarchic fellowship, because I like both.
I never got into Twitter. I didn't understand who I was writing for. With nostr, with my own keys and my own speach, I write for the pleasure of writing and giving form to ideas. Occasionally I'll get a zap and that's cool but having a space to think and experiment that is yours forever is its own reward.
Just say it, Erik. Rebel against the little fictional tyrant inside that censors you, like a commissar standing over you with a pistol. Fuck that fucker. Maybe all the over sensitive losers need to be offended.
It is wise to think before posting. Not in the sense of self-censoring something that needs to be said, but, perhaps I can structure my thoughts and my message in a better way, so I try to do it. Or I realize I was just writing garbage, or it's a topic that isn't worth it to engage.
Yes. But it doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea to post everything. Sometimes we do need to consider what we are posting. Just because we can. Doesn’t always mean we should. As these posts are a representation of how we would like to show up. And can still have consequences in some way.
self-censure should only come from the fear of: not being helpful to addressees, not being truthful, not being just, and from the fear of wanting fame.
Nostra geçtiğimde bende bunun farkına vardım. İnsanlar ne düşündüklerini direkt aktarıyor fav alma arzuları yok iki üç kelimeden oluşan jargonları yok nostr:note18s0vvu8m0z3zsumklhxnmgvvqrh4yvc63z23hpkzdn9e4v49jpcshf9jml
No Twitter eu me censurava muito. Eu digitava threads inteiras, posts e ideias que eu tinha e no fim acabava apagando. Às vezes eu até postava, mas depois de pouco tempo eu apagava por um impulso maior. Nunca entendia bem o porquê disso. Depois fui entender que é minha própria consciência se censurando, com medo de ser cancelada ou de acontecer pior. Isso no Nostr simplesmente não pode acontecer. A liberdade aqui é real. nostr:nevent1qqsrc8kxwrah3g3gwdm0mnfa5xxqpm6jxvdg39gmsmpxeju6k2jequgpz9mhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejj7q3qhk0tv47ztd8kekngsuwwycje68umccjzqjr7xgjfqkm8ffcs53dqxpqqqqqqzyk38mf
Look what I did today just for my YouTube channel to not be taken down. I admit I feel sick by it. But it’s the trade off between wanting more people exposed to truths, to doing minimum and not offering the opportunity for people to wake up. True dilemma. https://youtu.be/7DcgVWA3RRo?si=D1QoaNaBPk6QBnHA