BlueSky Thinking Summary

In today's social media-driven landscape, quick condemnations of perceived wrongdoing often yield social approval.

Yet, research by Nour Kteily of Kellogg School and Jillian Jordan examines the pitfalls of this "punishment without looking" phenomenon.

Their studies show that while there may be some societal reward for fast punishment, people actually look more positively on others when they take their time to consider the opposite viewpoint.

This is opposite to the notion that avoiding opposing views shows loyalty or circulates moral fortitude and underlines the desire for thoughtful deliberation in ethical decision-making.

The results caution against decisions made in haste over social media, which by its nature lends visibility to punishment rather than in-depth deliberation.

This might be remedied with mechanisms that foster transparency of decision processes, potentially improving online discourse into one that is balanced and educated.

Before joining the next online condemnation, ask yourself if you're really judging or just herding along with the people.