I’m always amazed at the comments on the New York Times, i.e. at how mean-spirited they often are. Specifically, to subjective things like Op-Eds, the “Modern Love” column, or various parenting issues.

One gets the sense that the comment-writer is the only person qualified to judge and that the article-writer is an absolute, complete idiot.

My hit is: Who among us has never made the wrong decision or handled something badly. Why not cut others some slack? And the lesson I learned from my mother when I was little: If you can’t say something good about someone, don’t say it at all.

Do I ever have negative reactions to articles? Sure, but upon closer observation, I just about always come to the conclusion that I don’t have to state my opinion.

I agree that this is a social media phenomenon — when you don’t have to look a person in the eye to tell them something, you’re often a lot meaner and more judgmental than you would be if you were talking to them in person.