What's Your Feedback?

Guys, I've been wondering: How do you use the like and dislike buttons on social media?

Do you upvote content that you truly have taken the time to listen to or read and because you like the content or do you upvote purely because you support the content creator, and it doesn't matter what content they put out?

Similarly, when you press dislike and downvote content, do you take the time to constructively share your feedback? Do you offer suggestions for ways the creator could improve?

As creators online, it is expected that as your platform grows, so too will detractors. Here's the thing: no one person's content would resonate every single time with every single person it reaches. As your content reaches more people, it's a reasonable expectation that you will find detractors among them.

It's sad though because sometimes people will dislike your content, not because they truly dislike it, but sometimes simply because they despise or envy your growing popularity. You see it all the time with really famous people, the level of hate they endure.

In fact, some people will even devote the time and energy to go online and create false profiles just to spew hate. From where I sit, I think the people who do that must be on some core level, really lonely, unwell, and unhappy. Because to live with that level of toxicity inside must make you sick. It's like walking around with a mouthful of bile that just refills every time you spit it out. Deep down their souls must be icky, sticky, yucky, mucky... carrying an after taste of unpleasantness. But that's just what I think.

Sharing Constructive Feedback

For me, when I am sharing feedback online, I like to put myself in the creator's shoes and think about what could be helpful. I may not comment every single time under every single post I see because I may not have anything constructive to add, but if I am going to press that upvote or downvote button, particularly if I am downvoting, I try to say why.

Here's the thing. I try not to downvote content at all because I understand that behind every piece- art, poetry, a think piece, a song- there is a person who put in effort. If I see or hear something and it doesn't click with me, I move on.

If I really truly dislike something so much, if it's so toxic that I think I must press that downvote button, I say what I didn't like, why I didn't like it, the implications for it being online, the impact it can have on audiences, and what might have been a more constructive approach. And yes, I know that takes a lot of effort to sit and think and construct, but I think that by doing that, it helps me to be a bit more selective about when and how I engage online.

I don't downvote for things like form or structure, because I think that we all start somewhere, and as creators, if we are consistent, we can expect to grow and improve with time.

All Creators Aren't Created Equal

To be clear, online creators operate on different levels.

There are those who may have resources and teams to review their content, to help their creative process and marketing so that by the time something is published online, it's well polished.

Some creators may have years of experience in a particular field causing them to develop a certain level of expertise which is reflected in the content they create. Some may have a natural knack for something.

And then there are others who may have the heart, the passion for something, and who may be putting in the effort, but who are working with barriers or extremely limited resources which can be reflected in their output. As a casual reader online, I try to take all of that into consideration.

If I find something difficult to read or to understand because of grammatical errors, spelling errors, formatting issues and things like that, I may simply provide feedback and encouragement by way of a comment without voting, or I'd move on to something else without comment.

I usually only downvote a piece if its promoting intolerance, spreading falsehoods, spewing hate, things like that. And if I do, I say why and I try to maintain as neutral a tone as possible. Those are the self imposed guidelines I use for engagement.

Also, I do have creators that I support. Depending on the platform I am on, I opt in to subscribe to their content and so, when I am online, their work would be at the top of my newsfeed. Of course I'd naturally interact with this content first, and if I like something- which I usually do, it's why I subscribed to them to begin with- I try to show support.

Seeing the Creator Behind the Content

This is an approach that I have cultivated after years of trial and error. I'll confess, I wasn't always in this space. When I was younger, I'd feel the need to comment on every thing and just type the first thing that came into my head. And I was all heat and passion and spoiling for a fight.... and then I grew up.

The way I see it, the online space is not real life. It's not like sitting next to someone on a bench in a park and having a conversation. Rather, we're miles away from each other, semi-anonymous fingers typing away on phones and keyboards, and posting statements, thought pieces, and expressions which will cross cyberspace and affect someone else in some way which we may not see.

And it is not enough to dismiss the impact that our words may have on someone else simply because we do not have to see it in person.

Anyways, that's just me, guys. But I'd love to know, how do you interact with content online? Do you take the time to encourage creators? Do you downvote? And if you do, do you take the time out of your day to say why?