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Alex Honnold will probably receive some hate today — unfollows, eye-rolls, and the usual “stick to what you know” comments — for the crime of sharing his thoughts.

You don’t have to agree with him. You don’t have to share his political or social views. (Personally, I lean more toward Malcolm X’s view that the greatest risk for African Americans is dependency.) But we should be adult enough to tolerate opinions we don’t share.

Respecting someone’s right to speak — without fear of retaliation or damage to their character — is basic grown-up behaviour. Disagreement is not an insult. Nor is it a reason to insult.

Publicly announcing you’re unfollowing someone as a moral gesture is hardly heroic. It’s the digital equivalent of posting dog mess through someone’s letterbox. If you don’t like what someone says, quietly move on. No drama required.