The rise of what I call guilt messaging has been nothing short of incredible and not in a good way. People use it as a form getting people to respond in ways they normally would, but just this time, they feel compelled to do so.
Introduction
The rise of what I call guilt messaging has been nothing short of incredible—and not in a good way. People use it as a form of getting others to respond in ways they normally wouldn’t, but this time, they feel compelled to do so.
Point
On the other hand, however, there have been some downsides to this, which include the fact that lots of people have become faker in the online world. It has become increasingly hard to determine what is real from fiction. As a matter of fact, most people find it incredibly difficult—if not impossible—to tell the difference between the online world and the real world (not that this means the online world is not, oftentimes, a reflection of what people are saying or doing in the real world).
One of the many downsides is what I call guilt messaging.
In a quest to be more likeable, feel more important, or even feel useful, many resort to communicating in a manner that makes others feel compelled to respond. Some examples of this include:
I believe in X, and let everyone who believes in X like or comment on this message
If you do not like Y, then you're a horrible person
Everyone who agrees with Z’s proclamation should respond in a certain format, etc.
I'm sure by now, you can see the trend. Of course, you are not forced to respond to these messages, but there’s no denying that the manner in which they are written evokes a feeling of compulsion in the consumer of such content.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the point is not that you shouldn’t respond in online discourse, but rather this: are you responding because you’re being guilt-tripped, or because you actually want to respond?
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