Got roasted for saying 'thoughts and prayers' in a post about the wildfires

I shared a simple message about the LA fires last month and people tore me apart for not mentioning climate change or donations. One comment said 'your thoughts are worth less than a link to a GoFundMe.' Now I always add concrete actions or resources when I post about disasters. Any tips for balancing sincerity with actually being helpful online?

3 comments

3 Comments

ray_hernandez16d ago

Man, @ben_ross51 I gotta push back a little here. I get that "thoughts and prayers" gets a bad rep, but honestly I think the internet has made us all TOO quick to judge a person's intent. When my cousin posted about the fires, she literally just wrote "praying for everyone" and someone jumped down her throat about not linking a charity. But here's the thing - not every post HAS to be a press release with action items. Sometimes people are just scared and sad and trying to show they care in their own simple way. I'd rather see ten awkward "thoughts and prayers" posts than one person staying silent because they're afraid of getting roasted. Sure, adding resources is great if you have them, but let's not pretend a heartfelt two word message means someone is a bad person.

dylanmurray18d ago

Yeah, the 'thoughts and prayers' thing gets complicated fast. People see it as empty words without some kind of hands-on help attached. I started doing what you're doing now - adding a link to a Red Cross page or a local food bank. It makes the message feel less like a text from a distant relative and more like you actually give a damn. Just keep it short: 'thinking of everyone out there, here's a link to donate if you can' - that covers both sides without overthinking it.

ben_ross5118d ago

Wait, people actually said "your thoughts are worth less than a link to a GoFundMe"? That's brutal, man. I mean, I get where they're coming from but that's harsh especially when you're just trying to be decent. You can't win sometimes because if you say nothing then you're cold and heartless, but if you say something simple you're an empty suit. I've seen this blow up in people's faces on Facebook too and it makes you scared to even type anything. The way I see it, dylanmurray's approach is solid - keep it real short and add a small resource link so it's clear you're not just posting for likes. That way you still sound like a human being who cares but you're also pointing people toward something that actually helps. It's a tightrope walk for sure.