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Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see if this was done before or after the pandemic lockdowns started. I've got a hypothesis that the Twitter (etc.) mobs are gett
by SaberTail 6y ago
Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see if this was done before or after the pandemic lockdowns started. I've got a hypothesis that the Twitter (etc.) mobs are getting worse precisely because of the lockdowns.
Locked down, with very little to do, people are desperate to feel like they're doing something useful. Joining in an online mob feels useful. It makes a person feel like they're doing good in the world. It gives them the rush of accomplishing something. It's an illusion, but there's a lot of feedback (upvotes, faves, retweets, etc.) that makes it feel real to people.
I don't have any great ideas for how to improve it. I've been asking myself "will this actually do any material good?" before engaging, and I significantly cut back on social media. But good luck convincing everyone else to do that, too.
- gnusty_gnurc 6y ago> I've got a hypothesis that the Twitter (etc.) mobs are getting worse precisely because of the lockdowns. Any of the nonsense going on lately is pretty much a consequence of the lockdowns. People without jobs and tons of time on their hands, and social networks that amplify anything that crosses the minds of people confined to their house. It's a recipe for disaster. And precisely a reason you wouldn't want to embark on a lockdown strategy, ignoring the questionable efficacy.
- Theory5 6y agoThat's absolutely not true, lockdowns have been proven to help protect people and reduce the spread of the virus.