Before forwarding a quarrel, ask what your readers gain; omit it if nothing.
WhenBefore forwarding criticism
“In the conduct of my newspaper, I carefully excluded all libeling and personal abuse, which is of late years become so disgraceful to our country.”
Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography, chapter X, in Frank Woodworth Pine ed. (1916); events newspaper years; retrospective manuscript written 1771–1790. Read the source ↗
Why it works
He refused to spread private quarrels through his subscriber list because readers had been promised useful or entertaining material. This asks who the message serves.
Start tiny
Name one useful thing the recipient could learn in 30 seconds.
What you’ll notice
Notice the difference between a useful warning and an invitation to take sides.
When it slips
Do not hide a necessary warning. Send relevant facts to the people who need them, without the private quarrel.
Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography, chapter X, in Frank Woodworth Pine ed. (1916); events newspaper years; retrospective manuscript written 1771–1790. Read the source ↗
Foundation: Small recurring actions with little setup. Choose anchors that fit your day.
