I'd like to revisit some of the feedback I got to this thread, because some people made some good points as they pushed back. https://twitter.com/mikemchargue/status/1341052947363319808

The piece of feedback that got through to me the most was that this tweet seemed in someway out of character for me. As I've reflected on that, that's an astute observation. This tweet was provocative, and I am typically not a provocateur.

I can see why this shift in tone was shocking. There's not some macro communication strategy here. I posted this tweet after three things happened: a saw the daily deaths, the airport travel numbers, and then posts of people I know as they traveled. It made me angry.

If I would have posted from a place of processed anger, the tweet would have said, "If you are traveling and/or gathering for Christmas, I don't know what to say to you. It's dangerous, and makes me need time and space away from you."

But I didn't post that. I posted something in the heat of the moment. It's hard not to do that these days--serene moments are hard to find. I haven't seen someone other than my spouse or children in a LONG time. I haven't left my home. It takes a toll.

I'd love to say that I won't post to social media in this way in the future, but I don't think that's a promise I can make during this pandemic. If you continue to follow me on social media, you're going to get *me*, warts and all.

But, I aim to be teachable. I want you to know I heard this and reflected on it.

Gosh this thread is getting long, but I have more to say to anyone interested in listening.

Another piece of feedback is that I am "pandering" to the "radical left/SJWs" these days. This piece I strongly disagree with. I don't pander to anyone. I grow and change, and I try to be honest as that happens. This is intentional.

Anyone following my work has a right to know where I stand. I communicate in real time about my journey, experiences, and thinking on purpose, so you can decide what role my life and media play in your journey. I want to equip you to choose how much attention to pay to me.

I am a person in process. My work is not self consistent, and will never be. I make mistakes. I try to adept to changes in myself in in our world. I can commit I will be honest about where I am each day, but I can't promise to adhere to come set of consistent ideas or beliefs.

You should feel free to engage and disengage with my work as you see fit. I have no interest in getting to to believe what I believe. I have a profound interest in inviting you to engage my (and everyone's)work critically, to self-discovery, and the pursuit of a just world.

We will likely disagree on how to move toward any of those things. That's good! I don't see myself as an expert on anything, but rather an enthusiastic learner. I don't want to teach you anything, I want to share my enthusiasm for *learning itself.*

All this is complicated because most of you got to know me as deeply codependent person. Part of what has made me successful in media is taking ownership for the feelings and response of media audiences to information.

That felt good for me as a media person, and for people who followed me. I expended *incredible* effort to manage the feelings of my audience.

That is both normative in our culture, and deeply manipulative.

I'm trying to learn how to not do this anymore. But, it's a really hard skill for me. So, you're going to see me under and over shoot here. I will mess up more than I succeed for a long time.

That means yesterday, I did *too little* in considering others feelings, when historically, I have done too much. In the process there, I hurt people unnecessarily.

I am sorry. Truly and sincerely.