As an aside, how does Linus come across as a grouch? "Reporters" drive clicks by pretending to be outraged. Therefore they have to build up a set of standards

As an aside, how does Linus come across as a grouch? "Reporters" drive clicks by pretending to be outraged. Therefore they have to build up a set of standards and narratives which will make readers find Linus' behavior unacceptable, and dismiss Linus' explanations as just being a grouch. Once readers buy into the narrative, they see the world through that lens. Side note: multiply this by all the news sites that use snark and moral outrage. That's how you get thin skin and judgmental in society. It's just like how the bigger news organizations exploit and reenforce a sense of fear in their viewers.