Stop.

I don't know what it is about you that people find so attractive. Maybe it's the part of us that wants to stand on our soapbox and talk about something that's important to us and that's fine. What I don't like about you is how you become personal letters to someone that they wouldn't directly say to someone else. It's the internet equivalent of having that one friend who asks your crush out for you because you don't want them to know you like them even though that's basically what you're doing.

You're a format that's intended to have some larger political or social effect. You're supposed to be critical of something larger. Instead you're about finals or someone's roommate that they talked to twice over the entire year because they couldn't find their water bottle and they thought the other one took it but are gonna pretend that they're best friends. You've become trite, meaningless, and really boring for anyone that isn't the person you were written for.

I've talked before about how I love the internet and think technology is great but that's more on the personal level of bonding with someone. Stop giving people the feeling of the spotlight. It's making authentic moments with another person feel boring because it's not a spectacle. But most of all, the people reading you don't care. And even if they did, you're not about anything important or should be put on a stage.

I get that you're supposed to be fancy and out there for everyone to see. But could you maybe focus on something more important? Start on something that truly matters. There's racism running rampant in this country, gun violence is out of control, and a living troll doll running for president. These are important things that get tuned out because you're something that people can tangentially relate to and it's getting to the point where even I can't stand seeing your title anymore.

So to all Open Letters, soon to be written or in the making: Please, just stop.