“Your responsibility equals your reach.”
What’s your first response?
I’ve been chewing on that idea since I read it a while back. The notion, I think, is that folks with bigger platforms have a bigger responsibility to consider the potential consequences of their words and actions.
We understand the principle. It’s one thing if a guy spouts lies, gossip, or hurtful nonsense to his friends. It’s a whole different impact if a leader spreads the same words to millions of social media followers.
This quote got me thinking about how I filter my own speech. For example, I’m especially careful about my words here, because I’m always conscious that on this platform I represent the FREEDOM TOUR community.
The implication is that perhaps I’m less careful in other settings. Which raises a question…should there be a different level of accountability when someone abuses a large audience?
As a society, I suppose we ought to hold someone accountable when they abuse the privilege of a big audience. But rather than jumping into that mess of weeds, I asked myself a different question.
To whom am I accountable?
I think I’m accountable to Jesus.
Changes the conversation, doesn’t it?