Hey gang, I understand that Tumblr has been a bewilderingly toxic environment as of late, so please remember:
- Do your own research before determining your stance on a person, idea, or situation. A lot of posts obscure, twist, and even purposefully leave out information that is essential to grasp, so be sure to confirm what you hear through credible sources as opposed to just a post with a lot of notes. Look at responses and assess them with reasoning.
- Don’t blindly follow the majority. Don’t get swept up in the mob mentality and mongered fear without looking into different perspectives. Its easy to be misinformed because of one’s hasty jump to conclusions based on a title, the way something is written, or the number of people that have reblogged it. Listen to others and give yourself the final say after looking into everything. Don’t jump into something with blind hatred just because everyone else is.
- Seek a second opinion. Have a conversation with a friend or with a person that is well-versed in the subject. Chances are someone knows something you don’t. Make conversation constructive and bolster your understanding.
- Reclaim your space. Find the content you want to see and enjoy it. Interact with the people that you want to be with. Post about what you love and don’t fatigue yourself. This is your blog, after all!
- End problematic culture. People say and do bad things all the time. Whether you’re spouting vitriol, being spouted at, or staying on the sidelines, we all have and have had problems. That’s just human nature for you. Choose to educate rather than decimate. A brick that’s been used to do damage can still be used to build. If someone has apologized for a past transgression, dispelled all misunderstandings, and is working towards being a better person, then don’t discourage them. We’re all learning here and as long as you’re not endangering others with a repetition of your behavior, by all means, keep on chooglin’. Progress needs all it can get.
- DON’T SEND HATE, RAPE OR DEATH THREATS, OR ANY OTHER DISTASTEFUL MATERIAL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! I didn’t think I had to put this one down, but if people are still pulling this, it bears repeating. Even if you feel someone deserves some sort of punishment, you’re not doing any justice being a terrible person. And lastly,
- When everything goes to shit, just log off. Stay off of Tumblr. Go outside. Do what you love. If it becomes too much, delete your account. Your well-being and mental health should always be more important than being on here.