I’ve caught myself being fast and snarky with other people’s work. This is a short note about a better habit.

I read a tweet and think what a bad take.

I read an article and think this is crap.

Behind the knee-jerk judgment, there's a hidden assumption: I could have done it better.

This is a terrible stance to have.

First, because it's usually wrong. You couldn't have written a better article.

Worst yet, however, it puts yourself in a very comfortable, cushy place.

You convice yourself you could do better. Fully convinced you could do better, you end up doing nothing at all. Nada. Nichts. That's where you have put yourself: you ended up snarky and dellusional; your muscles are atrophied, only your mouth moves.

Next time you're about to criticize someone or dismiss an idea as stupid, try to do the thing yourself. That obviously wrong article by that not-so-brilliant dude? Try to put your counter-argument on paper to see if it holds.

By doing that, I bet you will have a new appreciation by the effort of the person on the other side of the screen.

Comfort is cage.