3 ms·

Offendedness and rage as a mechanism to feel belonging and community? One of the things that I an curious about a certain infamous image board is the "troll as

• lotharbot 12y ago
  Euphoria and celebration also serve as mechanisms to feel belonging and community. This seems like the other side of the same coin. Look over your facebook or twitter feed whenever some significant event happens -- the Hobby Lobby court decision, a vote on same-sex marriage, even a sporting event. People will, for the most part, divide into camps of rage or euphoria. There's very little recognition of the validity of other points of view, very rarely mixed feelings, and often rejection of any facts that might potentially support another conclusion. In my experience, those who express any sort of nuance or recognition of key points from multiple sides tend to be treated disrespectfully (not merely argued with, but mocked, insulted, unfriended, stuff like that.) It's as if everyone has been taught to act like an extremist troll in order to avoid the ire of extremist trolls.