The recent stint of Internet notoriety has given me some fodder for navel gazing — particularly on the subject of “social media”.
I put that term in scare quotes, because I’m not really sure there’s all that much “social” in the “media”.
When Instapundit linked me (the first time. Oy.) I discovered this had happened from texts I received on my phone — the first several of which were variations on the theme of: “You’ve been linked at Insty — don’t read the comments!”
That got me to thinking the last several days: How many times have you heard advice along the lines of “Comment sections are toxic”, “Don’t read the comments”, or something similar?
Herself recently published a novella, her first work longer than a short story, and the advice she received from literally (and I use that word properly) everyone was “Don’t read the comments!”
Having some books up on Goodreads … yeah. If you don’t have a thick skin, stay away from the comment section on anything you publish, but — honestly — the trolls over at Goodreads are fairly tame to some of the of folks who showed up here from Instapundit.
I posted a hypothesis. Simple musings — nothing that is likely to change the future of nations, crack open a can of sunshine, steal bread from the mouths of widows and orphans, or influence World leaders in any way, shape, or form — but sweet shivering Shiva you’d think I’d fed baby Jesus feet-first into a woodchipper on live TeeVee.
The level of vitriol and outright anger from complete strangers — folks for whom a random hypothesis on a nothing little blog could not possibly have any effect upon in any way … I know that large crowds of people are dumb, vicious, and panicky, but damn.
I’ve long been of the opinion that future textbooks are going to put the 21st century’s experimentation with “social media” in the same Good Ideas chapter as lead-based paint, asbestos ceiling tiles, and radium lollipops.
“Social media” is designed –purposely so — to maximize dopamine reactions in users at least in part by driving an emotional reaction, rather than a logical one. (Emotions drive dopamine levels much higher than logic does), and in the process, social media encourages short quips, rather than dialogue; and bumper sticker simplicity, rather than the fullness of debate.
And I think the anger so easily seen in the comment sections at the big sites is showing in society as a whole. Has anyone else noticed an increase in destructive emotional responses in the public spaces over the last three or four years, or is it just me?
Used to be I went heavy into Wal-Mart just because there was a pretty good chance I’d run across a critter I’d had professional dealings with — these days I’m less worried about the professional dirtbags, and more worried about Joe Citizen missing out on the last case of bog paper, and attempting to beat random people with a shopping cart in response.
Last week a video crossed the transom in which a suburban middle-aged male assaulted a sixteen-year-old kid for the sin of … fishing in a public place. The attitude of the man who should have been an elder to an act that — even if it had been in violation of a law — merited at most a call to the local constabulary, his attitude was vicious and way over the top.
More and more these explosive outbursts of violence are cropping up — and I know that things are tense right now, but I can’t help but wonder if the metaphorical violence that we default to on “social media” is being reflected in meat-space.
And I am by no means innocent of this. I’ve been looking over my Twitter feed and my Facebook page, and some of these interactions I’ve had with people don’t make me proud of myself.
I think I probably need to spend more time writing — on this blog, and on my books — more time drinking tea on the porch with a book, and less time on “social media” and various “comment sections”.
Y’all might consider shutting off Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in favour of a good book a little more often.
Just a suggestion.
LawDog
I am personally *much* happier now that I’m off of FaceBorg. I am also getting rid of the perpetually stupid on MeWe, since I don’t need people who continually piss me off by sheer ignorance and unwillingness to think or discuss anything rationally in my life.
I agree with ya. Folks really bring their ignorant selves out on MeWe. I need to go refresh my blocked list….
I’d say more like 6 years at this point.
It all got much worse when the “social” media companies started attacking Trump.
Oh, it was bad during the 2008-2016 era of ‘civil healing,’ but it’s gotten far worse since Trump walked down the stairs at Trump Plaza. And gone totally off the rails starting around 2019.
Good point Law Dog. I agree the the “social” media rhetoric is bleeding over into meat space. If you hear about it, talk about it, and think about it… it’s easier to do “it” when the opportunity arises. Some of the social scientist have been trying to equate words with actual violence. The offense seekers do seem to have the market cornered with sensitivity of the fragile snowflake. Most of the more creative trolls are just that, trolls. There is about a 10th of a percent that read too much Catcher in the Rye, and these painful few put words to action. Me thinks it’s time for good scotch with friends around the fire before I have to defend me and mine with Gaston Glock’s fantastic plastic hole punchers….
Many moons ago, someone came up with the GIFT- the Greater Internet Frakwad Theory, or similar wording.
As people spend more time on the internet, the GIFTs just keep on giving.
And then there’s the trolls, the mentally ill, the Wumaos, the spammers…
About the only reason I go onto facebork is to check author pages for a handful of authors I particularly like…….. And, if I am being honest, to watch other authors I like shred internet shitgibbons (yourself, Larry, and a handful of other folks are particularly entertaining, especially on gun related stuff.)
Probably lots of factors to the over the top reactions. Raised without consequences would be one. The dopamine addiction another. Hell kids have suicided over social media. Another based on professional but unofficial observations is, well, call it vax induced anger management issues. Fucks with the brain. Perfect storm.
And yes, cutting the cord to social media does wonders for the blood pressure. I’m sure you know a doctor that would approve. /wink/
Yeah..l
Freakbook and instagram are already gone for me, along with gun forums and most political blogs. Said it earlier. You have squirrels…. I have a Jack Russell. I know that barking up the idiot-tree is not going to achieve anything, but it feels important.
Thing is…. I do think it important that the sane , critical-thought view is heard. Major positive social change happens when people are talking about the need for it. It has been argued that the American Revolution began in coffee-shops and taverns, where people gathered to talk. Now we have a million virtual-taverns, without the pre-internet restraint inherent in the prospect that if you got too annoying or stupid, you’d either get turfed out by the management, or punched on the nose by an irate patron. Duelling was still a thing.
Perhaps blogs like this are more valuable than we thought. It permits us to exchange ideas – and challenge them – while the owner is prepared to bounce the abusive types.
Otherwise, how do we get sane discussions happening in public, testing ideas, when everything gets flooded by trolls and monomaniacs?
Regards…..
Errr….
Hope no-one considers the reference to “idiots” to include everyone who disagrees with me. If I can’t support my favoured argument with evidence and logic, then I have to at least question my own understanding.
I’d say ignore the morons but know you already do.
I am getting very close to hiring someone else to handle my social media accounts. Several of which are only there because as a professional author I am expected to maintain a presence, and it helps me to sell books.
I enjoyed your musings on the (to my mind, much more probable) possibility of simple ineptitude. In light of the stupefying clumsiness of Russia’s big little border skirmish, it seems likely that Gazprom mucked up their pipes and then mucked up their fix even worse.
Thanks for the valuable insights.
It is a pleasure to not use Fakebook (Freudian slip) or Twitter to avoid the stupidity of some remarks that, on the surface, are ignorant…..and stupid, but then I repeat myself literally.
I like sites like this and What’s Up With That that treat trolls harshly. Thant makes for more-informed reading for the dumber among us, like me.
Thanks again, and I will adopt you as one of my bookmarks (still a short list).
Blogger is as deep as I’ll ever dip toes. The knucklehead quotient here is bad enough, most days.
And it’s enough, IMHO, to prove that common sense, isn’t.
Anything beyond that is simply clinical masochism.
Hard pass.
My job interfaces with the legal system and it is startling how rapidly the social atmosphere has changed in the past few years.
As a society there is a boiling anger hiding under the thin skin of correctness that, when it erupts, is truly scary.
I have a handicap and because of the angry people I deal with I’ve had to start using a cane.
Not for support, but for defense.
The internet has made people bolder, and maybe dumber. A dangerous combination.
I’ve wondered if the lockdowns aren’t producing a kind of social upheaval or mental meltdown like the Great Depression. The early 30s were fraught and dangerous time and these days seem headed that way (egged on by all sorts of media) it seems.
I never had social media except linkedin for work. I’m seeing more people posting political and social BS on linkedin. I don’t want to hear that your company has agreed to preferencially hire unskilled members of some group or other to make themselves feel better for reconciliation day.
Turned Facebook on, which quickly convinced me to never turn on Tritter or Istawhatever or anything else. I don’t even use Google anymore, because I’m tired of being swamped with ads for anything I’m curious about. I can’t remember the last time I posted anything on Facebook, and I don’t remember my last less-than-kind comment…… because I’m reasonably sure it’s never happened. Just ain’t worth it.
Watch “The Social Dilemma” sometime. It will really curdle your cream!
Too many folks have lost the ability to disagree with something and just move on. So many of these commenters have a driving need to prove to all and sundry that they have seen something and have an opinion about it. Unless you are adding something substantial to a conversation, walk away. It’s OK to disagree, I learn things thru disagreement, even if I don’t like it. But no one cares about you bleating emotion and tired cliches.
Have a fakebook account for one and only one reason – the grandkid photos. Otherwise, have the account locked down and have yet to create my first post.
Facebook in it’s original incantation was an amazing way to keep close to friends and family that were physically distant. It can still serve that purpose, but now that takes a lot of work and the exclusion of those who can’t be civil. I keep it up because it is still a lifeline to remote friends and family, and an excellent source of cat videos, pinball repair suggestions, and 3D printing diagnostic advice.
Twitter on the other hand is a sewer with almost no redeeming qualities.