Stine: Striving toward kindness amid hostile keyboard warriors

Recently, I have had a major philosophic shift in my personal life that has resulted in me being a happier and more joyful person. We have a YouTube channel for The Jack and Spike show, called “The Jack and Spike Show” where we release digital-only content to adoring fans.

However, against my better judgment, I occasionally go through the comment section and find comments that can best be described as smug, cruel, malicious and generally unpleasant to read.

I’ve been a semi-public figure for roughly a decade of my life and these kinds of cruel and hostile comments used to really bother me.

I even go to the lengths of copying the comment, and then write out several iterations of what I thought would be the most pointed, cruel and condescending dismantling of every piece of their argument, as well as their psyche. When I felt satisfied, I would respond with my perfectly cutting and earth-shattering comment and wait for their response.

Recently, however, I was on the receiving end of a cruel, malicious and hostile interaction in person. I was spoken to, by a person in my social circle, in what can be best described as intentionally hostile and rude.

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After meditating on this interaction for a few days I realized that in every interaction I have, there is an opportunity to be one of two ways: I can be the kind of person who is cruel, malicious, and hostile — in comment sections or in reality — or I can be the kind of person who chooses to be kind, generous, and thoughtful.

I realized that the comment section, keyboard warriors we have all become, doesn’t just stop in the comment section. It spreads out into our everyday interactions and it seeps into the DNA of how we choose to communicate with others and can literally ruin a person’s day.

So, in our comment section on “The Jack and Spike Show” YouTube channel, I have committed to being as kind and as thoughtful as I possibly can be. I see it as a challenge, but also as an opportunity to exercise what we all should be striving towards — being a kind, generous and thoughtful person in all aspects of our lives.

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