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I'm always aghast when I go on social media or Reddit and see all the things people say about the unvaccinated dead. I can scarcely believe that the folks that

I'm always aghast when I go on social media or Reddit and see all the things people say about the unvaccinated dead. I can scarcely believe that the folks that post those things are nominally on the same side as me on most issues of substance. I get past it by telling myself that there are always tons of bots and shills in the pay of all manner of nation states and organizations trolling those exact places posting whatever will ferment polarization.

ogogmad 5y ago
The "Darwin Awards" once had an unnerving degree of pop culture acceptance. [edit] They might still.
- InvaderFizz 5y ago
  IIRC, Darwin Awards were always targeted at singular instances of actions that could be charitably described as unwise. What is happening today is just the use of anything for the advancement of tribal signaling and catharsis derived from the suffering of the "other." It exists on every side, acceptability of these behaviors depends largely on in-group vs out-group status of the perpetrator.
  - ogogmad 5y ago
    I might be sentimental in thinking that you shouldn't kick someone when they're down. Dying for your mistakes is one way to be "down", and mocking someone is a great way of "kicking" them. Goes beyond tribalism.
  - ogogmad 5y ago
    On the subject of Darwin Awards, that website didn't have a very good rationalisation for celebrating those people's deaths, except for some social Darwinian bullshit. At least here, they sort of seem to have one.
taeric 5y ago
The bots and shills angle is about all I have to hold onto sanity right now. Would be great to know the actual numbers. Or terrifying.