So often, I see people my age bite their tongues when discussing controversial topics, especially current events. With the digital age in full swing, it’s easier than ever to jump on the social media bandgwagon and fall victim to what I like to call “sheeple syndrome.” If you’re unfamiliar with the term, “sheeple” (sheep + people) is the comparison of a mindless flock of sheep with the actions of a person or a group of people. For example, when kids try to use the ever popular “everyone else is doing it” as an excuse, their parents will often reprimand them by saying, “If everyone else was jumping off a bridge, would you do it?” This can be translated as, “Don’t be a sheeple.” Sheeple follow the flock, don’t stand out, and most importantly, don’t let their individual voice be heard.

Social media provides a perfect platform for sheeple syndrome. When content goes viral, people are constantly fed opinions that might not be their own. Day in, day out I see people share the same news stories so many times that it seems like a single post is dominating my news feed. I don’t have a problem with seeing the same cat video over and over. I love cats! I would watch those videos all day if I could. No, my issue is with the fact that every person who shares a viral news story says the exact same thing about it. Nobody seems to have their own opinion.

The most recent example that comes to mind is the incident involving the alligator attack at Disney World. I shared an unpopular opinion on the subject and was called out by multiple people for my ‘rudeness’ and ‘insensitivity’. I was shocked. The most irritating thing about this was that several of the people who said something to me had also shared the same news story. One person told me that my comments should be kept to myself because they were garnering negative attention in a time when the parents of the victim needed support, but what this person was really saying to me was, “I don’t like what you’re saying so you should be quiet.” I know this because if what they claimed was true, they wouldn’t have shared the article. Every share, positive or negative, promotes media attention that I bet that family doesn’t want. My post was, in reality, no different than anyone else’s. It just made people uncomfortable because it wasn’t necessarily the most polite.

It seems like nowadays, nobody can share an opinion unless it’s the mainstream. If it isn’t, the person who shared it gets chastised for being too outspoken. When did that become a bad thing? Didn’t our ancestors fight for our right to have our own beliefs? Because people on social media are so aggressive towards unpopular opinions, a fear of rudeness is breeding. This fear doesn’t only exist on social media. It happens in real life, too. I’ve found that young people hesitate to share if they think what they are saying might be controversial, and I completely understand. It’s scary to talk about something your friends don’t agree with. Here’s the hard truth, though: If someone doesn’t respect your opinions, they aren’t really your friend. True friends encourage you to let your own voice be heard. In fact, I learned this myself from one of the best friends I have ever had. Take notes: It’s okay to have an unpopular opinion. It’s okay to disagree. It’s okay to say something about it, and it’s totally okay to not care what anyone thinks.

Before you label someone as rude, brash, inconsiderate or whatever other name you want to throw around, consider my reasoning. I used to be someone who was constantly afraid of making people upset. I thought that if someone didn’t like me it was the end of the world. I know for some of you that sounds familiar. Back then, I didn’t like myself very much. I thought the key to becoming a happier person was to get others’ approval. Because of this, I said things I didn’t mean—a lot. I agreed with people verbally while the voice in my head was screaming “NO! No, no no! I don’t agree, and I want to tell you all about it.” Instead of listening, I smothered that voice. I really lost myself in the pursuit of friendships that, honestly, would never amount to anything. Then I met my best friend.

She taught me (though she may not know it) to embrace who I was, and not to be ashamed if my opinions weren’t the same as everyone else’s. Of course, it’s prudent to keep your mouth shut sometimes. Feel the room, guys. But for the most part, it really doesn’t hurt to speak up. In the almost 2 years that we’ve been friends, I’ve learned not to be a sheeple, and because of that, I’ve learned to love myself. I never would have guessed that I didn’t have to be friends with everyone to do it.

I can truthfully say from experience that the best way to find yourself is to let yourself speak. Your REAL self, not the self you think people want to hear. Yes, you run the risk of people looking at you a little funny, but in the end, I guarantee they will respect you for speaking your mind. Also, it couldn’t hurt to stop trying to impress the wrong people. Only then will you find the right people who actually appreciate what you have to say. Once you find them, I promise you won’t think twice about whether your opinion is going to hurt their feelings.