i guess that bothers me in part because i think sincerity is something that online communication easily loses, and that people are pushed to lose.
sincerity is, for lack of a better term, not very marketable. simply because sincerity is so individualized.
but i also see meme culture trapping people into vortexes of irony and pithy quips. and those things are nice, but they don't often make a fulfilling life on those things alone.
sincerity gets pushed out as 'not on-brand' and 'not fitting in here', as 'childish' or 'stupid'. but it's sincerity that we most often use to relate to one another as people and as fellow human beings.
'cringe culture' is entirely built around the antithesis of sincerity, you know? if you sincerely like a thing, if you get really enthusiastic about it, that's 'cringey' and there's a huge push to shut it down.
i don't know if these 'don't be sincere' impulses need to be fed more, tbh.
be sincere! be wildly sincere! be honest in your loves and dislikes! tell your friends you love them, tell people whose content you've enjoyed how much you've enjoyed it, tell the world how much you like things!
and when you're struggling, be sincere about how you're struggling; you will find that is a great way for people to also sincerely offer help and support!
be sincere in who you are! it's frightening, but it's worthwhile! i promise!
there's a bigger debate here, of course, about if online communities can ever reflect the gestalt beings that are humans in reality, or if at any time humans can reflect every aspect of themselves at all times,
but you don't have to compress yourself down so tightly, i think.
if there are places that want you to compress yourself down that small, maybe push back a little.
maybe decide to take up a bit more space in being sincere.
and sincerity is scary. it means letting people in, and that can be terrifying.
but, to sound like a goddamn cheezy middle schooler's poem, letting people in is how you can connect with them as *you*. you have to open the door to let them see *you* first, before you can connect with them.
and those connections are indeed sincerely worth it.
ok, there's great aunt wiggly's talk for the night i guess, i'm gonna go scrub this face mask off
being sincere and being supportive of other people's sincerity, refraining from mockery, taking care to always be judicious, precise, well-informed, and fair in criticism...
...these things also make it easier for others to be sincere
show an example they can follow and make a promise that they will be safe doing so
will it make you less 'quoteable' or 'memeable'? maybe. will it make something that might get you less boosts and favourites? maybe.
but if your online interaction is complete insincerity, you're not looking at interacting with people as much as you are looking at trying to market a product. and *being* that product is going to be exhausting. you are more than a product, and you deserve to sincerely connect with other human beings.