Becky Beissel

We live in a world where attention spans are shrinking, and narratives are built on fragments. A one-hour speech, a long interview, or a heated debate can be clipped down to three sentences and spread across social media. And far too often, those three sentences are taken as truth without ever looking back at the full context.

The problem with “clip culture” is that context gets lost, words get twisted, and the bigger picture disappears. Half a sentence can be turned into a storyline that may not resemble what was actually said. And then, before we know it, people form opinions, share posts, and argue with strangers without ever seeing the whole story.

The mainstream media, who we have been raised to trust, has become one of the biggest culprits in this, pulling quotes out of context and twisting meaning to create a click-worthy headline. It may add to their bottom line, but it also adds to the division we’re experiencing in this country.

As a community leader and elected official, I’ve experienced the effects of misinformation firsthand. I’ve been verbally attacked, had my family threatened, and been called names over things that simply weren’t true. Having worked in social media for the last 14 years, this is not just my profession but my arena, and I’ve seen both the power and the danger of how information spreads.

Here’s what concerns me most: we’ve become more focused on defending our beliefs than on finding what’s true. If you are going to name-call, attack, or assume the worst in someone, wouldn’t you want to be absolutely certain that the information you’re relying on is accurate? And let me add this: even if you are convinced the facts are on your side, personal attacks, threats, and name-calling are still not OK. Disagreement is part of public life — disrespect shouldn’t be. Stop it. We can, and we must, be better than that.

Too often, people feel bold behind a keyboard in ways they never would in person. Social media can give rise to “keyboard warriors” who lash out without ever having a real conversation. But if you truly want to understand someone’s perspective, the best thing you can do is step away from the screen. Talk to people face-to-face. Ask questions. Listen before you decide to disagree. You might not walk away in full agreement, but you’ll walk away with understanding and that makes all the difference.

At the end of the day, it’s not about winning arguments or defending our corner of the internet. It’s about how we choose to treat one another, even when we disagree. Truth matters. Respect matters. And in a small community like ours, those choices matter most of all.