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Whatever you want to label it, surely I'm not the only one who has observed that the best way to get an article shared on social media is to amp up how controve
by paulgb 6y ago
Whatever you want to label it, surely I'm not the only one who has observed that the best way to get an article shared on social media is to amp up how controversial it is. Then people who agree share it to agree with it, and people who are enraged by it share it because they are enraged by it.
Whether you want to call this “divisive content” (which definition fits it pretty neatly, in spite of PG's good essay) or “scissor statements” or something else is up to you, but it's a real phenomenon.
- gus_massa 6y agoI agree, but I prefer to call them "flamewar topics". It is not only used in social media sites, it is also used be journalist in newspaper and TV. (Sometimes it is more evident is the sport section. Every time the national soccer team lose a match, there is a tempest in a teapot about each one of the decisions of the team manager and the players.)