A new study links partisan activity on the Internet to widespread online toxicity, revealing that politically-engaged users exhibit uncivil behavior even in non-political discussions. The findings are based on an analysis of hundreds of millions of comments from over 6.3 million Reddit users.
It is, however, very important to note that when one side starts treating politics like it IS blood sport (I.e. populism), it’s genuinely difficult to push things in a positive direction by taking the “high road”.
More specifically, the paradox of tolerance is very much a factor here. Regressive and reactionary groups absolutely abuse the system as it exists today with the intent of fully corrupting and controlling it in the future.
Understand what bad-faith arguments look like, and the ways that they are often presented as “reasonable discourse”. When you see someone engaging in such disingenuous tactics online, consider dropping some bait to see whether or not they show more of their bad-faith hand; if they do, go (rhetorical) weapons free.
There’s a game series I play that just had a new version come out. It’s a silly puzzle game that you can just waste time with while doing something else.
The author does a little ‘story mode’ and this time they went through how they’re getting older and are starting to think of end of life stuff. I’m in a similar headspace myself really, though they’re a decade or so ahead of me. It ends with something about maybe that person with different political opinions was just born in a different place than you and you should take the time to listen to them.
I’m like, bruh… yeah, sure, that was okay back in the 90s. Have you looked at our current political space? Seriously, read the room
I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt that they’re just privileged and the things going on these days don’t effect them personally so they just have no idea what the hell they’re talking about.
Game is still good and the best one they’ve made so far, but damn was the end of that piece tone deaf af.
It is, however, very important to note that when one side starts treating politics like it IS blood sport (I.e. populism), it’s genuinely difficult to push things in a positive direction by taking the “high road”.
More specifically, the paradox of tolerance is very much a factor here. Regressive and reactionary groups absolutely abuse the system as it exists today with the intent of fully corrupting and controlling it in the future.
Understand what bad-faith arguments look like, and the ways that they are often presented as “reasonable discourse”. When you see someone engaging in such disingenuous tactics online, consider dropping some bait to see whether or not they show more of their bad-faith hand; if they do, go (rhetorical) weapons free.
There’s a game series I play that just had a new version come out. It’s a silly puzzle game that you can just waste time with while doing something else.
The author does a little ‘story mode’ and this time they went through how they’re getting older and are starting to think of end of life stuff. I’m in a similar headspace myself really, though they’re a decade or so ahead of me. It ends with something about maybe that person with different political opinions was just born in a different place than you and you should take the time to listen to them.
I’m like, bruh… yeah, sure, that was okay back in the 90s. Have you looked at our current political space? Seriously, read the room
I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt that they’re just privileged and the things going on these days don’t effect them personally so they just have no idea what the hell they’re talking about.
Game is still good and the best one they’ve made so far, but damn was the end of that piece tone deaf af.