• Snapz@lemmy.world
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    7 hours ago

    The “I’m shocked” posts are never useful. They never add to a conversation. I understand you’re frustrated, but this is a selfish impulse - If anything, the only thing a post like this can succeed at is sapping genuine energy/outrage building in a person that may have otherwise turned into the urge for deeper reading and/or righteous action. I don’t think that’s what you wanted from this post?

    “I’m shocked” with nothing else added essentially says, “LOOK AT ME! I knew that already! If you didn’t, you’re kind of an asshole, because we all knew it already in this club you’re not in it (because it was SO obvious).”

    I’m sure you posted this innocently, but consider please that it sucks. You shouldn’t post if you don’t have anything proactive to contribute. If you’re genuinely against the thing you are representing with this post, you would have done more to act against it if you didn’t post anything (if this was all you had to say).

    • brygphilomena@lemmy.world
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      4 hours ago

      And weirdly, it drives engagement anyway. People up vote where otherwise nothing would happen. Posters get reinforcement for posting something on Lemmy. And posts can be “hot” if your instance has that as an ordering filter causing more people to see it.

      • Snapz@lemmy.world
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        1 hour ago

        This is a good point worth considering. Indirectly can actually support in short term with engagement boost on post overall, but I’d still argue preserving that potential fire in someone (especially a young person), a thing that can be fragile and fleeting, is the more important win.

        “Duh!” can make people feel othered and ashamed, to feel it’s not safe to ask “stupid” questions.