One of the things I have been thinking about is how much discourse is stunted by the idea that “I know better than you.” We see it on Mastodon and other social media sites, but we also see it in life, especially if we are a member of an under-represented, marginalized, or minority group.
This one-upmanship crowds out sharing and can make people afraid to voice their opinion or experience due to risk of policing, shaming, condescension, or any of the other ways that people try to demonstrate power over others.
I think it’s worth remembering that we’re all doing life in our own way. We all have something of value to share, and we’re all experts in our own situation.