"Worrying about optics" = letting your enemy dictate terms via social pressure utilizing moral terrorism tactics.
Once you realize that they will call you all the things no matter what you do, and that they were never using the terms in good faith in the first place, you stop caring in the least about what opprobrium they throw your way.
"Worrying about optics" = letting your enemy dictate terms via social pressure utilizing moral terrorism tactics.
Once you realize that they will call you all the things no matter what you do, and that they were never using the terms in good faith in the first place, you stop caring in the least about what opprobrium they throw your way.