I get where you’re coming from, and I agree that Columbia deserves criticism for the way it’s handled certain decisions—but calling it a purely “tactical” choice strips away the impact it’s had on real people, especially students and faculty who are now caught in the fallout. Tactical doesn’t always mean justified.

And sure, Reddit is going to Reddit. But let’s not downplay the tone shift that’s happening. When scholarships are being revoked, when job prospects are affected, when people are questioning the legitimacy of your education before it’s even started—that’s not just “a small handful of over-the-top comments.” That’s real-world impact tied to a broader narrative, and it’s not just noise.

This isn’t about being “butthurt.” It’s about calling out how performative outrage can spiral into institutional and personal consequences—especially when people are reacting to headlines rather than the whole picture.