Notes on "the Comments"

While perusing my social media feeds at work instead of serving capitalism, I recently noticed a friend had removed the "comments" feature on her Instagram stories. For context, she is an intelligent, young, woman of color, living and working in New York. I reached out after a few days, inquiring as to why, which led me down a rabbit hole, a spiraling of ideas I came up with as to what the reasoning could be for doing something like that. On purpose. Intentionally.
My brainstorming tracked as follows:

• Could it be because she no longer wanted people's commentary on her life?
• Was it as a statement to reclaim what's rightfully hers?
• Was it in effort to limit any feedback to anything she might post? To have the ability to be as audacious and leftist and political and outspoken as she pleased without having challengers?
• Was it in attempt to regain autonomy? Stating everything she posts as fact instead of potentially leaving it up for debate?
• Was it instead to make you really think and consider yourself before reaching out to her to comment on anything? Confirming that you really did want to say whatever it was you tapped out on your tiny keyboard to her? To make you more closely consider your words?
• Or was it an effort at censorship? In the sense that she does not want or care to know what your opinions are on what she posts for the simple fact that SHE posted it, not you. As a result, what matters is HER opinion on what SHE posts, not yours

That in and of itself is very powerful, especially in the age of Al Gore's Internet, where anyone with smart phone can get Twitter fingers and start foaming at the mouth at the drop of a hat. Going off in the comments, saying things they would never date utter in real life.

From Instagram, where else

Personally, I think she did it in effort to reclaim her space as no one else's but hers. Having a public facing profile, which she did, and leaving everything "open to the masses" while also working in education exposes you to even more. And even if it didn't, there is never a reason for you to feel uncomfortable or get anxiety every time you receive a message notification from Instagram of all places.
I bring all this to your attention for one simple reason. Do what you must to feel comfortable in your own space. If that means turning the comments off, making your page private and locking it all down, feel free. In these days of political strife, societal and economic turmoil, conflict and warmongering both here and abroad, when everything feels like it is literally and theoretically falling apart, do what you must to feel safe and secure in personal spaces that are fully yours to regulate. It's a form of self-care. Be open to the ideas of others, be capable of listening, but know that your space is yours and yours alone. Don't be ignorant about it. Take care of you.

Added post-hoc; courtesy of Co-Star, a timely reminder

xx