#also im using the term ‘school-coded’ entirely facetiously

[shkspr]

on the one hand i almost get it bc the terms “reading comprehension” and “critical thinking” are school-coded but on the other hand:

a formal education is not the only way (nor even the best way!) to learn these things. if you know how to read then you should know how to understand what youre reading. sometimes it has to be taught and sometimes it takes practice but it isnt some highly guarded secret of privileged academia.

nobody is saying you have to have a perfectly nuanced interpretation of everything you read. everyone misunderstands things sometimes. the point is you have to look at a post and think “am i sure im getting what op is saying” instead of “im positive op is saying this thing i just made up in my head”

if you dont know what youre talking about theres a hefty chance that youre aware you dont know what youre talking about. in which case i would advise you simply shut the fuck up. you can have the worst reading of a post thats your prerogative but you dont need to comment on anything. you dont need to make your ignorance everyone elses problem.

you really really really dont need to double down on your ignorance when someone points out that you misinterpreted what they said. it is literally so easy to say “oh my bad i misread this” instead of being deliberately obtuse and argumentative when youre wrong!

inb4 “some people have disorders, etc” yeah some of these things are cognitive or social skills that some people struggle with. but that doesnt mean youre not responsible for your behavior and it is disingenuous to pretend that thats your concern when people are literally just saying “think for two seconds before making a comment on a post”