I didn't used to understand what "gaslighting" meant. It's so subtle, so insidious - sometimes, you can't even convince yourself it's intentional. It's just there, in the background, like an electric hum. If you say something, "Aw, you're being overly sensitive." And the fact is, sometimes, you know that you can be - so that seems valid, maybe.

I was accused the other day of being too kind, too quick to give people the benefit of the doubt when the Internet horde had ruled and decided that they were worthy of tarring and feathering. Well - I can't apologize for that. I want to believe the best in people. I want to believe most are good, or at least that their intentions are. And this little voice in the back of my mind whispers, "Yeah, so did Anne Frank. Look where that got her." But the first voice is still winning, most days.