Why Seasoned Writers Are Fading in a World of Instant Opinions

As a seasoned writer, people often ask me, ‘Why don’t you share your thoughts on social media?’ The answer is simple yet complex: I’ve seen how content, meant to connect us, sometimes creates walls instead.

Having been a passive/ non-participant observer for several years on social media, I have witnessed an enormous polarisation of perspectives. This polarisation often gets blown out of proportion, as it always seems to hurt someone’s sentiments.

After being in the journalistic and content writing realm for over two decades, I have gradually let my writing take a backseat because I worry about how readers will perceive it. There’s always a fear looming over our heads that we may unknowingly offend someone and there goes our years of hard work, let alone our peace of mind and dignity.

As an observer for years, watching how people write and the content they choose to write in the name of free speech on social media, I sometimes wonder whether they write out of spite or an emotional outburst. As readers, we’re not trained. We’ve got so many things going on in our minds that we tend to read any piece written by (usually an untrained writer) someone and start taking it personally.

Much like mobile phones turned everyone into photographers, the accessibility of laptops and abundance of free content has made ‘writers’ of us all—often without research or reflection, driven by emotion instead.

Personal opinion is reasonable to a certain extent, but it is not entirely balanced, and if overused, it’ll be like an over sprinkling of salt in your meal.

People often overlook that writing takes years of practice. Think of a journalist spending sleepless nights chasing leads, a writer/ author spending gruelling hours writing that perfect article or story or an editor refining drafts endlessly—that’s the dedication behind every well-crafted piece. Sadly, with everyone now being a ‘writer,’ the authentic writers are fading into the background.

Please don’t get me wrong; not all amateurs are bad. We started out as one, too, but dedicated training, passion, and years of experience groomed us. In fact, I follow some fantastic write-ups of professionals who write incredibly well because they write from the heart, and since their writing is so genuine, it shows through.

In fact, this is where I want to mention that those who are not seasoned writers and have no writing background, once they realise that they have the potential to write and want to learn, are the most incredible contributors. I’ve had the opportunity to mentor such inspiring professionals who entrusted me to empower them with the art and craft of effective writing skills, and I still read their posts on LinkedIn or Facebook/ Instagram and feel wonderful that we made a subtle yet positive difference in our own way.

But sadly, the number of genuine people who write well (despite not being trained in this field) is far less than those who write thinking from the hip. While writing allows self-expression, untrained and impulsive pieces can quickly spiral into verbal chaos, often fueled by unchecked emotions. For instance, a poorly researched political opinion can lead to heated debates, or a hastily written review can damage a business’s reputation.

For instance, writing about the street dog menace—even as a dog lover—could attract criticism from street dog enthusiasts. Similarly, praising a non-vegetarian meal might upset vegetarians and vegans.

While the written content was supposed to make us wiser, it has divided us intellectually, which is far more detrimental than we can imagine.

Once our minds and perceptions are changed, they will spill over to generations, significantly impacting our society and the nation.

This piece is not an emotional rant; it is a feeble attempt, just like a drop in the ocean with a white flag stating I’m playing it safe and writing an article that is neutral and not aimed at anyone.

But yes, I’d like to sign off by saying to anyone who often posts their views without fact checking thoroughly on social media, “Writing is a responsible craft; please write responsibly. Write with a positive intent, and think before you post.”