BY: LUKE WAGNER ’26 Every few weeks, the Independent hears a quieter kind of silence: a writer backs out. “I started drafting something, but I’m not sure I want my name on it anymore.” I feel a pang of sadness with each of these withholdings. These hesitations do not always stem from controversial exposés or radical manifestos—often, they’re thoughtful essays or personal reflections. Yet, in the unforgiving permanence of the digital age, even mild rebellion feels risky.