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A pervasive lack of backbone among individuals in institutions is key to this. The shunning and shaming tactics used by online mobs are a very particular form o

A pervasive lack of backbone among individuals in institutions is key to this. The shunning and shaming tactics used by online mobs are a very particular form of human aggression. Speculating on a correlating factor among the people in these institutions who seem so consistently vulnerable to it may be itself, problematic, but it's as though the organizations are missing anyone with the instinct to challenge or deflect hysterical twitter mobbings, and where we are now is a result of that absence of resistance at all.

freebreakfast 5y ago
The most memorable example of "lack of backbone" for myself was Evergreen State College president, George Bridges. There was a large protest in 2017. The administration met to discuss the situation. Students prevented the administrators from leaving the meeting room unless they had an escort to ensure the administrators came to a resolution. The president mentioned his need to use the restroom to one of the protest leaders. The student responded, "Hold it."[0] He finally went to the restroom a couple of minutes later, but he was escorted by some of the protesting students.[1] [0] https://youtu.be/Msfsp5Ofz4g?t=290 https://youtu.be/Msfsp5Ofz4g?t=290 [1] https://youtu.be/Msfsp5Ofz4g?t=455 https://youtu.be/Msfsp5Ofz4g?t=455
- h2odragon 5y ago
  At that point, somebody should get pissed on.
- ng12 5y ago
  It's shocking, really. The blood-and-guts types are a dying breed, unfortunately.
- WalterBright 5y ago
  If a person physically prevented me from going to the restroom, I'd press kidnapping charges.
  - akomtu 5y ago
    It's not gonna work. Those who organise this activity have enough influence to convince AG to ignore your case.
    - WalterBright 5y ago
      I'd politely ask the person holding me prisoner for his name, and if he doesn't step aside I'll inform him that I'll be charging him with kidnapping. Regardless of what the AG does. After all, what do you think will happen to you if you hold someone prisoner?
      - gruez 5y ago
        >I'd politely ask the person holding me prisoner for his name "no" >and if he doesn't step aside I'll inform him that I'll be charging him with kidnapping You, as an individual can't charge people criminally. Civil suit is an option, but I suspect you won't get much in the way of financial compensation from a broke college student. >After all, what do you think will happen to you if you hold someone prisoner? Infliction of violence? Even if the AG doesn't make your life a nightmare, the optics might be bad enough that you'll lose your job.
        WalterBright 5y ago
        > You, as an individual can't charge people criminally. I can press charges. Violently holding people prisoner is a felony. It's not a joke. > I suspect you won't get much in the way of financial compensation from a broke college student. It'll be enough to matter to him. Future wages can be garnished. > you'll lose your job I don't want a job where I'm required to be a milquetoast.
        semiquaver 5y ago
        Individuals cannot press charges, only a prosecutor vested with the authority of the state may file charges. This is an extremely common misconception largely generated from popular media. Individuals can report a crime to the police, cooperate with prosecutors, and sue privately. https://www.thsh.com/criminal-justice-insider/as-seen-on-tv-the-myth-of-pressing-and-dropping-charges https://www.thsh.com/criminal-justice-insider/as-seen-on-tv-...
clairity 5y ago
> “A pervasive lack of backbone among individuals in institutions is key to this.” the raison d'être of most organizations, particularly bureaucracies, is to hide decisions behind a shield of indirection, to deflect individual responsibility elsewhere, which selects for and conditions the spineless. that those folks, when the spotlight shines on them, will cave, is thoroughly unsurprising.
worrycue 5y ago
> The shunning and shaming tactics used by online mobs are a very particular form of human aggression. I just realise how similar the Twitter mob and 4chan harassment mobs are. They are basically 2 sides of the same coin. Even using the similar tactics like digging up dirt and more or less organise the same way, as impromptu mobs that just organically form. Basically modern lynch mobs who never have to face the consequences of their actions protect by semi-anonymity, their numbers, and often their distance from their victims.
- silexia 5y ago
  The only way to stop mobs is to reveal each individual in it and hold them accountable. How can we organize to unmask and reveal the individuals of these mobs? I bet we would find some of these accounts are the Russian accounts specifically built to divide Americans.
- lenkite 5y ago
  Do 4chan mobs get universities to cancel events and speakers and successfully pressurise companies to fire people ?

freebreakfast 5y ago

The most memorable example of "lack of backbone" for myself was Evergreen State College president, George Bridges. There was a large protest in 2017. The administration met to discuss the situation. Students prevented the administrators from leaving the meeting room unless they had an escort to ensure the administrators came to a resolution. The president mentioned his need to use the restroom to one of the protest leaders. The student responded, "Hold it."[0] He finally went to the restroom a couple of minutes later, but he was escorted by some of the protesting students.[1] [0] https://youtu.be/Msfsp5Ofz4g?t=290 https://youtu.be/Msfsp5Ofz4g?t=290 [1] https://youtu.be/Msfsp5Ofz4g?t=455 https://youtu.be/Msfsp5Ofz4g?t=455

h2odragon 5y ago
At that point, somebody should get pissed on.
ng12 5y ago
It's shocking, really. The blood-and-guts types are a dying breed, unfortunately.
WalterBright 5y ago
If a person physically prevented me from going to the restroom, I'd press kidnapping charges.
- akomtu 5y ago
  It's not gonna work. Those who organise this activity have enough influence to convince AG to ignore your case.
  - WalterBright 5y ago
    I'd politely ask the person holding me prisoner for his name, and if he doesn't step aside I'll inform him that I'll be charging him with kidnapping. Regardless of what the AG does. After all, what do you think will happen to you if you hold someone prisoner?
    - gruez 5y ago
      >I'd politely ask the person holding me prisoner for his name "no" >and if he doesn't step aside I'll inform him that I'll be charging him with kidnapping You, as an individual can't charge people criminally. Civil suit is an option, but I suspect you won't get much in the way of financial compensation from a broke college student. >After all, what do you think will happen to you if you hold someone prisoner? Infliction of violence? Even if the AG doesn't make your life a nightmare, the optics might be bad enough that you'll lose your job.
      - WalterBright 5y ago
        > You, as an individual can't charge people criminally. I can press charges. Violently holding people prisoner is a felony. It's not a joke. > I suspect you won't get much in the way of financial compensation from a broke college student. It'll be enough to matter to him. Future wages can be garnished. > you'll lose your job I don't want a job where I'm required to be a milquetoast.
        semiquaver 5y ago
        Individuals cannot press charges, only a prosecutor vested with the authority of the state may file charges. This is an extremely common misconception largely generated from popular media. Individuals can report a crime to the police, cooperate with prosecutors, and sue privately. https://www.thsh.com/criminal-justice-insider/as-seen-on-tv-the-myth-of-pressing-and-dropping-charges https://www.thsh.com/criminal-justice-insider/as-seen-on-tv-...

clairity 5y ago

> “A pervasive lack of backbone among individuals in institutions is key to this.” the raison d'être of most organizations, particularly bureaucracies, is to hide decisions behind a shield of indirection, to deflect individual responsibility elsewhere, which selects for and conditions the spineless. that those folks, when the spotlight shines on them, will cave, is thoroughly unsurprising.

worrycue 5y ago

> The shunning and shaming tactics used by online mobs are a very particular form of human aggression. I just realise how similar the Twitter mob and 4chan harassment mobs are. They are basically 2 sides of the same coin. Even using the similar tactics like digging up dirt and more or less organise the same way, as impromptu mobs that just organically form. Basically modern lynch mobs who never have to face the consequences of their actions protect by semi-anonymity, their numbers, and often their distance from their victims.

silexia 5y ago
The only way to stop mobs is to reveal each individual in it and hold them accountable. How can we organize to unmask and reveal the individuals of these mobs? I bet we would find some of these accounts are the Russian accounts specifically built to divide Americans.
lenkite 5y ago
Do 4chan mobs get universities to cancel events and speakers and successfully pressurise companies to fire people ?