Why I Prefer Responses to Claps

Reaching an audience

Photo by Tyler Callahan on Unsplash

There’s usually a whirlwind of thoughts in my mind, all struggling to find expression on the written page. That’s why I started writing on Medium. I have no one in my real life who also enjoys sitting down and sharing deep musings about the world that we find ourselves in. But, I have been able to find other deep thinkers online.

I take time with my writing. I know some of my readers don’t live in the US, so, when writing about political things, I try to give some short description of agencies and government departments here in the US that may or may not have equivalents in other parts of the world. I try to provide “background” to make my articles more accessible to those unfamiliar with acronyms or idioms that are taken for granted when writing for a familiar audience.

I also try to keep in mind the regional differences in “culture” of different sections of the US. Having lived in many states throughout the mainland US, and having spent many years living in Hawaii, I have seen firsthand that life in the Northeast is a totally different experience from life in the Deep South. The local culture of Dallas, TX and the local culture of Honolulu, HI are polar opposites.

I keep such differences in mind in considering responses to my writing. I don’t automatically infer that someone is…