At the heart of the Know Peace Online campaign is the belief that digital integrity starts with inner clarity. What we share online reflects who we are—or who we’re trying to be. This week’s pillar, “Know Your Self,” invites us to pause before posting and ask: Does this reflect my values? Is this how I want to show up in the world?
My United Church of Christ congregation is located in the suburbs of Northern Virginia, and many of our members are dealing with real-life traumas, including the loss of jobs tied to the federal government or threats to immigrants and trans people they know. A few weeks ago, the staff organized a large congregational gathering to help discern what church members most needed at a time like this.
Several people expressed interest in learning more about writing letters to the editor or opinion pieces. As a former journalist, I joined forces with two other journalists to produce a webinar to share tips about writing these kinds of pieces—and getting them published.
Working on that presentation gave me some fresh insights about the “Know Peace Online” theme.
Over the years, I’ve recognized that sitting down and writing something was an effective way to work out powerful negative emotions, whether it was grief, anger, or something more difficult to label. In our recent presentation, we suggested that while getting a letter to an editor published was a worthy goal, the simple act of writing one might be a healthy way to channel negative emotions.
The same is true online. It’s probably not productive to engage in “flame wars” with people who don’t share our views. But sharing facts and personal experiences in a thoughtful way, in online comments and responses to published articles, may also be a way to work through our feelings.
Writing can be a way to “know yourself.” If the thought of writing a letter to the editor seems terrifying, not therapeutic, perhaps you’d be more comfortable simply sharing other thoughtful social media posts—enlightening articles or the personal experiences of others—with your online networks. As you do it, consider which things you are writing might be better left unsaid: does your post represent your best intentions and who you want to be?
Or perhaps you’ll decide that the healthiest thing to do is to take a break from the news now and then. Know what works for you—and do it.
Sara Fitzgerald, UCC Media Justice board treasurer, is retired following a career in journalism and public policy that included 15 years at The Washington Post as an editor and new media developer. Join Sara in taking the Know Peace Online pledge today.