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I don't know what to tell you. If you haven't noticed the overwhelming mass-production of engineered outrage over the last few years, then perhaps we don't freq

I don't know what to tell you. If you haven't noticed the overwhelming mass-production of engineered outrage over the last few years, then perhaps we don't frequent the same places on the internet.

dmix 7y ago
It’s basically every other popular post on Reddit that isn’t a cat picture or joke. Twitters ranking algorithm loves outrage, their highlight reel too.
- Pfhreak 7y ago
  The data doesn't back up your assertion at all. I'm looking at the top 25 on reddit front page now: 6 jokes 1 cat picture (which is adorable) 1 outrage post about Nintendo joycons 14 other things (sports, news, events, human interest stuff, science) 3 posts that one might arguably categorize as outrage: * Donald Trump telling two US house members to 'go back to their countries' (Note, the comments don't seem to be outraged.) * Ukraine chemically castrating rapists. Plenty of discourse here about wrongful convictions and the ethics of the death penalty/castration/prison in general. * "I am not a racist, but" starter pack -- doesn't seem to be outrage, but is definitely taking a shot at a class of people?
  - marktangotango 7y ago
    I see it this way! No I see it this exact opposite way! Is there a name for this phenomenon yet? I don’t even know how to characterize it, banal opinion pontificating with zero relevance. The six comments in this sub thread are a net negative to the universe of discourse. HN used to do better.
  - nullstyle 7y ago
    That's some bunk methodology right there. Perhaps you could explain to us why the top 25 articles on reddit as a whole reflect data on journalism and outrage culture? Of course r/aww isn't going to have a lot of outrage: it isn't journalism or journalism adjacent. You might want to read the article... it isn't talking about outrage in the missed connections section of craiglist. The article is talking mostly in the context of news and disinformation on the internet. I recommend you browse top posts in any news related subreddit to get a better idea about manufactured conflict on reddit.
    - Pfhreak 7y ago
      > It’s basically every other popular post on Reddit that isn’t a cat picture or joke Top is the most popular reddit posts, one assumes. I was pointing out that the parent comment was trivially false but presented as fact.
      - nullstyle 7y ago
        I was pointing out that your interpretation of the GP was IMO uncharitable given how you interpreted breadth and structure of reddit. You deny seeing "the outrage", but you've now had multiple people point you to instances of where it concentrates and appears. Perhaps your own personal experiences on the internet aren't representative. Maybe an hour long video essay will explain the concept and convince you of its existence a little bit better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36nsq2Apods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36nsq2Apods
      - dmix 7y ago
        I specifically mention “that isn’t a cat picture or joke” which implies as the other person mentioned, the news and political subreddits which are some of the most popular subreddits. Even the sports and cultural news ones are full of outrage.
Pfhreak 7y ago
I'm on twitter, I'm on HN, I read the news. I see some outrage, but I wouldn't qualify it as 'mass-produced' or 'engineered'. I see things like migrant detention, police shootings, discrimination against minorities (and especially the targeting of trans people), climate change, etc. Those things get a response on the internet, sure, and some folks are outraged over them. But calling it 'mass produced' and 'engineered' is the same thing as saying they are 'virtue signaling'. You are saying, "Those people don't have genuinely held opinions." Implicit in that you are saying, "... but I do." Additionally, outrage serves a really important role in our democracy. It is a critical tool that can be used to address injustice. It's not the only tool, obviously, but it is an important component in raising the voice of those who are the bottom of our society. Many of us live in relative wealth and comfort and wouldn't otherwise be made aware of how bad it is for the poorest among us without outrage. It's definitely not the only tool. We should also be engaging in debate and advocacy and charity and organizing, etc. But calling for the elimination of outrage is calling for the silencing of voices that have no other means to effectively engage with the system.
- throwaway8879 7y ago
  > I see things like migrant detention, police shootings, discrimination against minorities (and especially the targeting of trans people), climate change, etc. I'm not American. Literally none of those things are relevant to me. > You are saying, "Those people don't have genuinely held opinions." Implicit in that you are saying, "... but I do." I didn't say that. You did. > But calling for the elimination of outrage is calling for the silencing of voices.. Again, your words, not mine.

I don't know what to tell you. If you haven't noticed the overwhelming mass-production of engineered outrage over the last few years, then perhaps we don't frequent the same places on the internet.

dmix 7y ago

It’s basically every other popular post on Reddit that isn’t a cat picture or joke. Twitters ranking algorithm loves outrage, their highlight reel too.

Pfhreak 7y ago
The data doesn't back up your assertion at all. I'm looking at the top 25 on reddit front page now: 6 jokes 1 cat picture (which is adorable) 1 outrage post about Nintendo joycons 14 other things (sports, news, events, human interest stuff, science) 3 posts that one might arguably categorize as outrage: * Donald Trump telling two US house members to 'go back to their countries' (Note, the comments don't seem to be outraged.) * Ukraine chemically castrating rapists. Plenty of discourse here about wrongful convictions and the ethics of the death penalty/castration/prison in general. * "I am not a racist, but" starter pack -- doesn't seem to be outrage, but is definitely taking a shot at a class of people?
- marktangotango 7y ago
  I see it this way! No I see it this exact opposite way! Is there a name for this phenomenon yet? I don’t even know how to characterize it, banal opinion pontificating with zero relevance. The six comments in this sub thread are a net negative to the universe of discourse. HN used to do better.
- nullstyle 7y ago
  That's some bunk methodology right there. Perhaps you could explain to us why the top 25 articles on reddit as a whole reflect data on journalism and outrage culture? Of course r/aww isn't going to have a lot of outrage: it isn't journalism or journalism adjacent. You might want to read the article... it isn't talking about outrage in the missed connections section of craiglist. The article is talking mostly in the context of news and disinformation on the internet. I recommend you browse top posts in any news related subreddit to get a better idea about manufactured conflict on reddit.
  - Pfhreak 7y ago
    > It’s basically every other popular post on Reddit that isn’t a cat picture or joke Top is the most popular reddit posts, one assumes. I was pointing out that the parent comment was trivially false but presented as fact.
    - nullstyle 7y ago
      I was pointing out that your interpretation of the GP was IMO uncharitable given how you interpreted breadth and structure of reddit. You deny seeing "the outrage", but you've now had multiple people point you to instances of where it concentrates and appears. Perhaps your own personal experiences on the internet aren't representative. Maybe an hour long video essay will explain the concept and convince you of its existence a little bit better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36nsq2Apods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36nsq2Apods
    - dmix 7y ago
      I specifically mention “that isn’t a cat picture or joke” which implies as the other person mentioned, the news and political subreddits which are some of the most popular subreddits. Even the sports and cultural news ones are full of outrage.

Pfhreak 7y ago

I'm on twitter, I'm on HN, I read the news. I see some outrage, but I wouldn't qualify it as 'mass-produced' or 'engineered'. I see things like migrant detention, police shootings, discrimination against minorities (and especially the targeting of trans people), climate change, etc. Those things get a response on the internet, sure, and some folks are outraged over them. But calling it 'mass produced' and 'engineered' is the same thing as saying they are 'virtue signaling'. You are saying, "Those people don't have genuinely held opinions." Implicit in that you are saying, "... but I do." Additionally, outrage serves a really important role in our democracy. It is a critical tool that can be used to address injustice. It's not the only tool, obviously, but it is an important component in raising the voice of those who are the bottom of our society. Many of us live in relative wealth and comfort and wouldn't otherwise be made aware of how bad it is for the poorest among us without outrage. It's definitely not the only tool. We should also be engaging in debate and advocacy and charity and organizing, etc. But calling for the elimination of outrage is calling for the silencing of voices that have no other means to effectively engage with the system.

throwaway8879 7y ago
> I see things like migrant detention, police shootings, discrimination against minorities (and especially the targeting of trans people), climate change, etc. I'm not American. Literally none of those things are relevant to me. > You are saying, "Those people don't have genuinely held opinions." Implicit in that you are saying, "... but I do." I didn't say that. You did. > But calling for the elimination of outrage is calling for the silencing of voices.. Again, your words, not mine.