It seems to be happening almost every day now. Someone tweets their opinion. Someone else disagrees. The ensuing battle of 140 character insults is enough to flood the feed of even the most active user.

Twitter fights can be many things, ranging from pure entertainment to pure emotion. They can serve as one person’s outlet, or another person’s chance to observe.  Lately, there has been conversation over one idea: Do twitter fights make a difference?

My answer is yes.

Any time your opinion is being shared, it makes a difference. The way in which you convey your opinion, however, determines the impact it makes. Recently, the majority of tweets on my feed have constructed negative impacts.

Profane, offensive tweets will not get your message across. Attacking people personally, instead of addressing the issue, will not get your message across. Putting down those who do not share your same opinion will not get your message across.

Even those not directly involved with the twitter fight are affected. As one who primarily observes, I’d like to remind you that obscene tweets are not easily forgotten. When I see you in the hallway, I’ll instantly think of your tweet denouncing women. I’ll remember your tweet judging mental illnesses.

And it may have just been a joke. But regardless of your intentions, it was said. You may have been trying to send one message, but a very different one was received.

So, how does one make a positive impact?

Be calm. Avoid profanity. Attack the issue, not the person. Sharing your opinion is always merited, but offending others is not. Rather than using insults, gather knowledge to support your claims. It’s hard to discredit facts.

Most importantly, know when enough is enough. If you find yourself getting overly heated with the topic, just step away. Be rational.

Understand that you can’t make everyone agree with you, and leave it at that. You have taken the time and effort to assert your opinion in a professional manner. That demonstrates maturity. That will earn you respect.

Whether your tweet goes viral or not, you have the ability to start a discussion over a topic worthy of conversation. That’s the first step in making a positive impact.

Twitter is a platform to make your voice heard. By all means, use it wisely.