I think what we’re really missing is our own decentralized offense. We can try to inoculate people with critical thinking skills, shun various malicious actors from public spheres, fact check them to death, resolve the core issues of economic struggles, etc.

But what the recent “weird” line of attack on the conservatives has illuminated, I think, is we can also play offense. It’s the counter-troll.

Now, weird is pretty tame as trolling goes, unsurprising when we’re talking about the mainstream. But anyone who has a strong sense of humor, some quick wittedness and has spent any significant time online can do far, far better. Humor is fairly effective at going viral, and I think it’s just time for more people to take the kid gloves off. The most political extreme does not have a monopoly on clever and underhanded use of language to bait people out and strike fiercely at the most personal and emotional level. And besides, we’re funnier.