The Cost of Asking Questions: Losing Followers for Telling the Truth

I respect anyone willing to lose followers for the sake of telling the truth. Stepfanie Tyler just did that: about 100 people unsubscribed after she published an article that dared to do something rare in today’s culture: think out loud.

Her piece isn’t a political rant. It isn’t about defending or attacking vaccines, governors, or states. It’s not a team sport cheerleading session, and it’s not another “gotcha” hit job. It’s about something deeper, something more fundamental, something we’ve almost forgotten how to do as a culture. It’s about whether we are still capable of testing ideas the way science intended and the way federalism was designed, or whether we’ve given up and decided to use the entire population as guinea pigs in one giant top-down experiment where dissent isn’t tolerated and honest questions are treated as threats.

She points out that America was never meant to be one-size-fits-all. It’s supposed to function like an A/B test, with fifty different laboratories of democracy running side by side. One state tries a policy, another takes a different path. We compare the results. We study the data. We learn what works and what fails. We adjust. That’s the whole point of having states in the first place. That’s how real progress happens...not by dictating a single answer from the top down, but by letting people and communities test approaches, see the outcomes, and share the lessons. That’s how federalism was built.

But here’s the kicker: instead of her article sparking open discussion, the kind of debate and dialogue that actually moves society forward, what she got was backlash. And not the kind of backlash where people make their case in the open, where arguments are sharpened and everyone gets to see the strengths and weaknesses of each side. No, the criticism didn’t come in public comments where anyone could respond. It arrived in private emails, whispered accusations, and off-the-record complaints. Because outrage today is no longer about conversation...it’s about performance. People are more comfortable grumbling in the shadows than standing in the light and defending their own words.

We’re at a stage in our culture where withholding criticism is automatically treated as endorsement, where even the act of asking a question is mistaken for having a hidden agenda, and where ambiguity itself...just admitting that something is complicated or unsettled...gets you labeled as the enemy. And that isn’t just exhausting, it isn’t just boring, it’s dangerous. When a society can’t tolerate ambiguity, it can’t tolerate reality, because reality is almost always messy, layered, and full of contradictions.

The truth is, honest observation isn’t “picking a side.” It’s refusing to let yourself be shoved into one. It’s the act of stepping back, looking at the evidence, and saying, “Let’s see where this goes” before jumping to conclusions. Real thinkers understand that nuance isn’t betrayal...it’s the starting point of wisdom. It’s the courage to let the data play out instead of rushing to declare winners and losers.

So here’s my challenge to you: if you call yourself an honest thinker, a critical thinker, or someone who actually believes in the scientific method, go read her article. Don’t dismiss it because you assume you know what “team” she’s on. Don’t let the labels, the partisanship, or the lazy shorthand substitute for real engagement. Don’t assume you know the conclusion before you’ve walked through the process.

Because at the end of the day, that’s the dividing line. That’s what separates genuine inquiry from echo chambers. One approach says, “Let’s see what happens. Let’s learn from the results. Let’s follow the evidence.” The other approach says, “Pick a jersey right now, red or blue, left or right, our tribe or theirs.” One approach invites progress. The other locks us into permanent warfare where the only thing that matters is which side you’re signaling loyalty to.

And if we can’t break out of that cycle, then we’ve already given up on the very thing that makes this country worth fighting for: the freedom to think out loud, test ideas, and pursue the truth...wherever it leads.

👉 Read Stepfanie’s full piece on her Substack: https://www.wildbarethoughts.com

If you value intellectual honesty over tribal loyalty, you’ll find it refreshing.

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I am an Ad-Age, Emmy, Shorty, Telly, and Webby Award-Winning Social Media Strategist and Content Creator specializing in outdoor lifestyle, adventure, travel, and recreation brands. As a trailblazer in digital storytelling, I have dedicated over a decade to creating compelling content for major outdoor lifestyle, food & beverage brands and broadcast tv shows. My passion lies in amplifying voices within the outdoor community through innovative and strategic storytelling, ensuring each narrative resonates deeply and builds a strong connection with the audience.