During a time when young adults feel increasingly voiceless in the face of degrading national politics, the impulse to share our thoughts and opinions has become magnified. I’m right there with everyone; we all yearn to be a part of some kind of change and to have an impact on the people in our social community. 

But, I’m also here to challenge the way that this has manifested into an overbearing culture of opinion posts and stories, oversaturating the mainstream. I’m not here to tell you to stop caring about things. On the contrary, I’m here to encourage you to be selective with your energy, and to consider the full impact of sharing opinions about subjects that might not be foundational to you. 

With the internet, we have access to everything that happens around the world at all times. Even though we have adjusted to this fact and found ways to normalize it, it can be intense. It makes it impossible for us to separate our online lives from current events, the news, and pop culture media, and guides us to publicly comment on far more issues than we otherwise would. The hope is that engaging with these social topics online might raise awareness to various issues and help platform information that enriches public discourse, and when done properly, it can. 

However, as we move forward into this increasingly tech-centric world, sharing opinions should be more intentional. Otherwise, it more often than not becomes a chain of reactions—literally—that lead to explosive, dead-ended online debates featuring more talk than action.

As we have begun to see in the last decade of social movements, social media has become a frustrating battleground of “performative activism.” When political events occur, the internet community seems to take on a self-prescribed responsibility to respond or comment.

An article from Georgetown University exploring “How Social Media Can Shape Public Opinion” states that “in prior communication eras, the audience was primarily listening—receiving a message. Audiences today are not only recipients of messages—they’re participants, which gives them a lot of power.” This power can manifest into either positive or negative impact, and we should all strive to use this power in the most effective and precise way. 

More than ever, people on social media are posting about and defending causes simply to pick a side and be a part of the conversation, often drawing on information or subjects they are not well versed in. Not only is this ineffective and surface level, but it is contributing to the escalating tensions and the polarization of an already politically divided landscape. Opinions can naturally create an “us vs. them” dynamic that instigates a defensive mentality, turning small disagreements into large rifts. 

To our detriment, social media algorithms promote content based on the amount of reactions posts garner, placing higher emphasis on online engagement rather than accurate information. It’s important to recognize that this influences the way we receive and interact with news and media on a larger scale.

Renée DiResta, associate research professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy, comments further on the consequences of reaction-triggered algorithms. 

“The result is an environment where viral attention often outweighs accuracy, and where rumors can harden into reality through repetition and validation,” DiResta said.“This ecosystem can drive polarization and make it harder for people to agree on basic facts.” 

Let’s be real for a moment. It is impossible to take a stance on every subject discussed in classrooms, newsrooms, and even living rooms. Not only is it impossible, but it should not be something we strive to do. We have lost the ability to hear about an event, process it, and let it be without having to take a stance or convince anyone to adopt the same opinion we hold. 

Instead, talking with friends, family, teachers and classmates about issues is incredibly important. These kinds of conversations are foundational to learning, expressing ourselves, and growing from the input and information of others. We should default to seeking these kinds of interactions instead of going out of our way to post about it on Instagram or on X. The latter’s habits only inhibit productive conversations and slowly turn real issues into entertainment. 

Unfortunately, having strong opinions across 50 different subjects does not allow anyone the time to properly research, think about, or get involved in said issues. If anything, the amount of “passion topics” one takes on becomes so overwhelming that it makes it difficult to initiate any kind of action across even one of those issues. 

Conversely, focusing our energy on three to five issues that are truly core to who we are allows us to engage with them in a much more intentional, impactful, and vocal way. Centering our arguments and opinions in this way will enable deeper and sharper conversations while also fostering a sense of agency and change. 

With everything going on, I know I speak for others when I say we are increasingly feeling powerless. Identifying the opinions and values that truly spark a fire in us—not for the thrill of winning a debate but because we truly care about them—will give us insight into ourselves, our identities, and where to direct our efforts. It’s the first step toward true change and is more likely to inspire local action. 

The next time a political event or social conversation erupts online, I challenge you to observe it, think about it, and move on. 

It’s harder than you think!