Okay y’all, I’m going to preface this by saying that I am not passive aggressively attacking anyone in this article, but some of you would actually benefit from reading this.

Picture this. You are sitting on your couch or chair or chaise lounge (whatever floats your boat) and suddenly a news alert pops up on your phone because someone somewhere has done something bad. Doesn’t sound like anything new, right? Now, stop and try to imagine what your first response is. Do you click on the headline to find out more about the incident? Or do you turn to whoever is near you and say something along the lines of “Oh my God, did you hear what so and so did???”

Unfortunately, in this present moment, awful incidents seem to be a daily occurance, so it is understandable if you don’t spend copious amounts of time reading every breaking news story, carefully recording the details of the incident in your mind and even reading multiple other sources to ensure that you understand the story fully. However, before you take to Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest (again whatever floats your boat), I implore you to CHECK YOUR FACTS, HONEY.

We are emotionally driven creatures, so it is only human nature that reading a breaking news headline would spark an emotionally driven action, such as ranting on Facebook, over a logically driven action, such as reading an alternative news source for more information. But when you do not bother to look further into the story and try to understand both sides, you may be placing yourself in a compromising position.

Say that after you read this breaking news headline, you immediately pull out your phone and start a tangent on social media fueled by strong and abrasive language. Then, about two hours later, another breaking news headline pops up, but this time it includes additional important details on the incident that the original news story did not feature.

You discover that your tangent on social media was not only unnecessary, but altogether inaccurate. But it’s too late. The comments section below your post is filled to the brim with backlash, and some cannot believe that you would take such a stance on that particular issue. You have just fanned the fire and added to the collective noise and divisiveness.

I know that with all the social media platforms on which we exist, we feel desperate to be noticed and therefore find the idea of being the first of our friends to take a stance on an issue extremely appealing. But, do not let your hankering to be, not only noticed, but also agreed with cloud your judgment.

We constantly hear it said that our world, at this moment, is filled with hate, and we struggle to find heartwarming moments (unless we stumble upon a cute puppy video on Instagram), but we are part of the problem too. You can play a role in reducing the amount of hate and anger in our news feeds by simply choosing your first reaction to a shocking news story to be logical.

Before you post a rant on social media that features multiple f-bombs, s-bombs, d-bombs (for the last time, whatever floats your boat), stop, take a deep breath and read on. Read not only the news story that popped up on your phone but ones from other sources too. I even challenge you to read one from a news source that doesn’t typically side with your opinion.

Read and listen to understand, not to react. At the end of the day, wouldn’t we rather understand each other than continue to argue? I know I would.