I have noticed this trend recently and I think its appalling. I’m a bit disgusted to find bnai torah so concerned with how their friends will see their wits.
In my days it was good enough that a guy be a big baal midos, a huge baal chassed, a gargantuan machshiv torah, and most importantly to be his friends biggest fan. Unfortunately, today eichah a guy like that is yushvuh buddud. The dor we live in is a terrible dor. In fact its the worst dor i ever lived in. I spit on this dor.
I am talking about bnai torah who seem more concerned about what their friends will think when they see their wits than whether it is the right way to utilize it for THEM.
One can just imagine the thoughts going through his mind as he types his mind-bending chapp on yeshivawn/cr on tuesday morning:
“Look at me. Look who I am. I’m such a baal mussar. I’ve spent years toiling in torah, working on myself to get to this point. I think only of pnimius. I deserve a post everyone will look at and know that I will be the next gadol hador. I’m such a troll.”