I've had a few new people ask me about my CWs, the best way to think of them is not as a mandatory tax for posting about nsfw topics (I know this is the inference circulating on Twitter) but as a tool you can use
You'll never agree with everyone about what should and shouldn't have a content warning, but inviting people *in* to serious topics or gross jokes or movie spoilers can let you talk to people who would otherwise be pushed *out* of conversation with you just by their own wants and needs
@tlhInganHom good point, thank you!
TFW you realize that your nick-name is also a content warning.
@Louisa
Also, some shit on here is just boooooooring and CWs help you scroll past it quickly.
@priryo yes, I'm never opening one that says "computers" 😁
@Louisa Actually q good take on CW. A good way to preface what's coming, or make your intentions explicit. Much needed in a space where you expect robust discussions without being disagreeable. These simple well-thought add-ons make traversing #mastodon and #fedivese in general a happy experience for me.
@Louisa Content Warnings are the biggest thing I like about this site.
Nobody should have to out anything about themselves to avoid being taken to a bad place in their head.
@Louisa this is such a great way to put it
@balrogboogie thanks! That's what made me turn around on them, after thinking they were silly way back when, that they're useful to me
@Louisa @jplebreton I posted today about the British mp caught watching porn in the commons. The language I used could and should never be shoved into peoples faces.
I could have not posted, but I found the situation engaging enough to merit a post, and CW meant I could do so while warning people about the content.
I can’t see why this is problematic for so many people 😐
@dgold I think it's just the vague feeling people get on Twitter— that you have to use CWs here all the time and everyone's a drill sargeant about it— because they fear change (as most of us do)
I remember thinking they were silly when I joined a few years ago, but when I thought about it more I realized I didn't have any real objections
@Louisa this is a great explainer I think on how cws are used well in the wild
@acdw it's kinda like seatbelts, right, you can either think "why are people telling me to use this, I don't like being bossed around" or you can think "do I want to use this? Will it help me?"
@Louisa Thanks for describing it!
@Louisa i often post about animals. Sheep, lambs etc.
I know there are a lot of people who enjoy these posts a lot. Baby floof cuteness. So I put a CW on my animal death mentions. it is part of the life and I don't want to not write about it. but those who don't want to read or see that (for whatever reason) , can follow me anyways. They will see fluffy lambs or sheep in the Mountains.
@Sibylle that's very thoughtful!
@Louisa For folks who don't care about or don't like CWs, there *is* a setting to automatically expand them all in your feed. I have it turned on. So CW away my lovely friends!