Hey stupid! Have you ever been called out online or in a group for being supposedly wrong about something? Have you ever felt attacked and without a response, when an unexpected accusation was thrown at you for something you did or said? Well, even if you have never witnessed it, and it has never happened to you, you can most likely imagine what it is. This is called a call out, and it happens often in what has been titled “call out culture.”

This goes directly against respectable discourse, as the act immediately shuts down conversational channels, and ostracizes the individual who was called out. In a day where there is an immense need for unity, conversation, and care between opposing viewpoints across topics, there is direct opposition to that unity, some of which is in the form of call outs.

There is spectacle to this as well, when a sharp, humorous, dismantling word is said in public, it often garners attention and likes when on social media. This is part of the appeal to join in and call out others audaciously, hastily and brashly. Somehow offensively calling out others for being offensive is acceptable and praised.

There is generalization in call outs. A human is a human, with a different upbringing, motivation and life than any other individual on the planet. Just because a person is American, Black, Asian, athletic, a member of a sorority, liberal, or allergic to cats does not make them the same as all or even any of the others of that disposition or characteristic. Just because a person is anti-immigration, or anti-Republican doesn’t make them completely that and nothing else. They may feel that inclination because of something they experienced, because of something they are aware of that you are not, or even unsure about that stance yet they hold it because they aren’t aware of other opinions. Also, there is the possibility that you or me could be in fact the one who is wrong! I myself have many times stupidly been uninformed, biased, and mistaken.

Will we take the time to speak to someone alone about an issue that we are uncertain about? If we can figure these things out one on one, there is so much more potential for agreement, education, and information to be heard by both parties. As citizens sharing this planet, we need to get along and figure out our differences through real conversation, not calling out.