How to Use Critical Thinking and Stop Giving Yourself the Ick When You Read Your Own Comments

Let’s be honest—there’s nothing worse than rereading your own online comment and cringing so hard that your soul briefly leaves your body. You were just trying to add value, but instead, you gave yourself (and possibly others) secondhand embarrassment. The problem? A lack of critical thinking.

Don’t worry; we’ve all been there. But today, I’m here to save you from future self-inflicted icks by teaching you how to flex those critical thinking muscles and avoid embarrassing yourself online.

Step 1: Emotional Intelligence – Don’t Take It Personally

The first step in posting non-cringey comments is simple: remove your feelings from their content. Someone’s spicy hot take about productivity hacks doesn’t mean they’re attacking your life choices or your 17-step morning routine.

When you lack emotional intelligence, every post feels like a personal attack. Instead of engaging thoughtfully, you react defensively, turning the comment section into your own therapy session. Stop it. Take a breath, remind yourself it’s not that deep, and focus on the actual topic.

💡 Critical Thinking Tip: Before hitting “post,” ask yourself, Am I responding to the content, or am I just triggered? If it’s the latter, step away and write in your journal instead.

Step 2: The Nuance Addiction – Stay on Topic or Start Your Own Blog

We need to talk about the obsession with adding nuance to every conversation. Yes, nuance has its place, but not every online discussion needs to be turned into your TED Talk. Sometimes, people just want quick answers or a laugh—not a dissertation on “how capitalism, astrology, and climate change intersect with morning routines.”

When you can’t stay on topic and feel the need to inject your personal philosophy into every thread, it’s time to take a step back. Here’s a revolutionary idea: if you have that much to say, create your own content. Write your own blog, start a podcast, or post a TikTok. But please, for the love of the internet, don’t hijack someone else’s post with your 10-paragraph comment.

💡 Critical Thinking Tip: If your comment requires multiple scrolls to read, it’s no longer a comment—it’s a manifesto. Redirect that energy into creating your own platform.

Step 3: The Need to Be the Smartest Person in the Room

Ah, the urge to flex your intellectual muscles online—it’s strong, isn’t it? But here’s the thing: constantly trying to outsmart everyone in the comments section is less “impressive thought leader” and more “please validate me, I’m deeply insecure.”

No one likes a know-it-all, especially one who can’t resist correcting minor details or derailing a discussion just to show off. Instead of chasing validation by “winning” a debate in the comments, try contributing something meaningful—or, shocking idea, say nothing at all.

💡 Critical Thinking Tip: Before you comment, ask yourself, Am I trying to add value or just prove I’m smarter than everyone here? If it’s the latter, go touch some grass.

Bonus: Stop Farming for Negative Energy

Finally, let’s address outrage content. Some of you love to stir the pot, hoping to harvest likes, retweets, and angry reactions. But here’s the dirty truth: farming for negative energy doesn’t make you clever—it just makes you exhausting.

Creating or engaging with outrage content might feel like a shortcut to online clout, but all you’re really doing is adding noise to the internet. Instead of chasing the drama, focus on building meaningful conversations that actually help people.

💡 Critical Thinking Tip: If you’re about to post something solely to get a rise out of people, delete it and go do something productive—like working on your side hustle or organizing your spice cabinet.

The Bottom Line

Being a thoughtful commenter isn’t hard; it just requires a little critical thinking. Stop reacting emotionally, stay on topic, resist the urge to show off, and stop feeding the outrage machine. You’ll not only save yourself from future embarrassment but also contribute to a more intelligent and positive internet.

So next time you’re about to hit “post,” ask yourself: Am I adding value or just giving myself (and everyone else) the ick? Choose wisely.