The Hidden Costs of Defending Others Online

Aaron Renn writes Jan. 9:

You should think twice before rushing to the defense of someone online.

What I’m talking about here specifically is defending someone who others are attempting to cancel online, especially when it is powerful people attempting to destroy a weak person.

I don’t say never come to someone’s defense, but rather to think carefully about when to do it. This is for three key reasons.

1. You may make enemies out of powerful people. …moral influence is a finite resource. Spend it defending strangers online, and you may find yourself bankrupt when it truly matters. We have to be wise and judicious in how we deploy our influence. Where are we investing our talents such that they will generate a return?

We’ve only got so many bullets we can shoot. Before using one, we need to make sure it’s the right place by asking questions like: Is this aligned with my mission?

2. You expose yourself to the risk of publicly supporting a dodgy person.

…The stories that most inflame our sense of justice are often the ones we understand the least.

3. The person you defend probably won’t even appreciate it – and may not even want you speak up.