Hi, Brandon! So as far as the issue of unsubscribing from Medium topics goes, I’m not really sure what to say about that. I haven’t had that same issue. I’ve pretty much set up everything the way I want it in the “customize your settings” section. The only thing I think you can’t avoid is the “recommendations based on your reading history.” But those recommendations should change as you start reading posts about new and different topics (at least, that what I would assume). And of course the featured/front page stories are the same for everyone as well.

Having said that, I’m not sure if I would completely avoid sensitive topics if I were you. Your responses may occasionally upset people, but that’s not necessarily your fault. Sometimes it’s you, sure, but sometimes it’s them. Besides, learning how to challenge a person’s point of view in a way that doesn’t cause them to put their guard up is a really good skill to have. But it’s a skill that takes time to hone and perfect. I’ve been working on it for a long time, and I still mess up sometimes. The same is true for a lot of people who interact with large audiences (like here on Medium) on a regular basis. Curiosity has its risks, and alienating people can be one of them.

With that in mind, there are obviously some people who just don’t respond well to being questioned or disagreed with no matter how civil you try to be. There’s really no way to predict that sort of thing. You just kind of have to roll with it, ya know?

Anyways, no matter what you choose to do, best of luck to ya! I do hope you become a bit more comfortable with the platform and find a cozy spot for yourself. :)

And sorry I can’t be more helpful on the technical stuff. That’s not really my thing. I know how to email people, use Twitter, type stuff on MS Word, and…that’s about it lol.