I’ve totally experienced this online and it just made me stop engaging. When you’re being respectful and just ask a question or want to discuss an opinion openly. I got called insane, was personally attacked - all for stating an opinion that those people held a different view of (and not even a contentious or controversial one!) I closed down one lot of media but ended up setting up an anonymous one with notifications turned off! It’s the only way I feel I can share anything and not be abused for it. I definitely don’t have anyone to share things with in person anymore. The last 2 years have just served to form harder dividing lines I think, with anyone taking a ‘side’ each telling their opposites that they’re stupid, ignorant, selfish and crazy. Those of us on the outside of both groups… well, I don’t really know where we fit. I certainly appreciate quiet time with my bunnies (where I just get to be) much more than I used to! I can’t deal with the human race right now. How did we end up here?
I hear you. Sharing things with my friends has become a no no. And I don't like feeling like I can’t be myself around them but that’s what has happened to many of us. I have a kitten now - he listens to me! And so does my husband. So I can’t complain too much! How did we get here indeed - but how do we get outta here is what I want to know.
I remember reading a book by Jon Ronson some time back, for the moment the title eludes me, he was making a similar point . He was talking about people on Google searches and similar. So I think it has been going on for some time.( I'l find the book tomorrow and be more specific) Do you remember when we had road rage in the news a lot? And supposedly people felt more able to be aggressive because they were safe in their cars and could drive away? I think this is an extension of this. People are frustrated so they act in ways they would not in person, and can be heroes of the moment, if they are in a little group. They are cowards, nothing more. And more often than not, they actually do not have an argument to put forward, so spout vitriol instead. Seems to me, most of the people blocked or de-platformed are the ones with something useful to say . Hence the action to block. It reminds me of being a child- you know, when you stick your fingers in your ears and sing lalala. Sadly, too many people are not adults when it comes to having serious conversations. We can't grow without listening to others' opinions, even if they are opposed to ours.Sometimes just listening reminds us of why we are so sure of our version. And ought we to stop twittering? Most definitely not. There will be a bird somewhere, singing the same song, and so glad to know he/she is not alone.
What a great image, a child sticking its fingers in their ears and singing la la la! Yes, it's like that alright. And I agree with you about the road rage too. Thanks so much for your comment. I moved onto GETTR and didn't find anyone there, I think it's all bots! So Twitter will be the place until something better comes along. I have a feeling that might happen at some point :-)
So the book I mentioned by Jon Ronson was called " You've been publicly shamed". It's about people being shamed on social media , sometimes because they've made a bad joke, but sometimes the shaming goes too far and they're demonised and have their lives torn apart. It's an interesting book because it gives insight into how people are feeling "entitled" to be abusive and destroy others' lives. Someone actually makes a spambot of the author and refuses to take it down. When Jon says it has taken his identity , the response is " the infomorph isn't taking your identity, it is repurposing social media data into an infomorphic aesthetic". It's worrying to me that we have entered into a world, willingly but perhaps a bit naively, where we can have character assassination by unknowns, who will have no consequences for their actions. It's become like a computer game, where to get to the next level, we have to achieve certain outcomes. And reading some of the stories, there is little, if any, regret for some of the serious outcomes. I suspect that at some point we shall have to choose a different place to air our views, at least some of us, but for the time being we are still wanting to engage . So I agree with you, it will happen automatically but we'll almost definitely be choosing some place safe. We'll leave the fighting behind for the usual platforms.
Wow that’s some story. Thanks for sharing. Interestingly I have someone pretending to be me on instagram and that isn’t being shut down. But if I was to say something against the narrative… when big tech plays along with the trolls then we don’t have much power at all. Time for a new place to speak. I like it here on Substack more and more.
If you get the chance to read the book- do so. It's clearly something that at the time when I first read it, some years ago, it didn't seem as though it would impact my life , or someone I knew. Reading your account confirms my fears- be extra vigilant . I have to get more familiar with Substack, it seems. Then I can take the leap, like you.
That is a plausible theory, but in “The Real Anthony Fauci,” RFK Jr. writes, “[Fauci] brought in Cancel Culture, essentially, before anybody could imagine what it was.”
As if Fauci wasn’t responsible for enough destruction, misery, and death, he also brought us Cancel Culture.
And where is he? Has anybody seen him lately? Such a strange world we live in. Someone on twitter took credit for writing a script for Will Smiths slap… that’s what they’re all interested in now. Not this new paper which is shocking beyond belief. Here’s the link in case you didn’t see it yet. I got it from The Highwire insider email if you’re wondering where I found it.
Hi Abby, thank you. Guess I’ll go first. I have very strong feelings about things. I read tons of Substack to try and become a little smarter. I especially appreciate those writers of different background than myself. I can usually pick up a slight point of enlightenment from them even though I disagree. I also read Twitter regularly, although I’m making Substack sort of my own little Twitter. I never tweet, I rarely re-tweet. In my humble opinion, Twitter is a bit of a cesspool (excuse if that’s too harsh). I know there are good people there.. but I have a feeling they’re very shy (like me) because they figure the juice ain’t worth the squeeze. P.S.: Love your work
Hi Clark, thanks for your bravery to go first!! I hope that more people will find their mojo to be able to say how they feel. It would be very attractive to just be an observer for sure but I can’t hold myself back a lot of the time! Though I am doing it more on Facebook - holding back. The draw has lessened for me. I do find Substack seems to be the place right now, but perhaps my own little space here will become more poetry and fried eggs, and less difficult truth! Thanks so much for the encouragement, sometimes it can feel like talking in a wind tunnel but I’ll keep going!
Interesting video - because it’s on Rumble not YouTube, and because there are college students in it who don’t have an idea what free speech is.
https://rumble.com/vz20cl-should-joe-rogan-be-removed-from-spotify.html
I’ve totally experienced this online and it just made me stop engaging. When you’re being respectful and just ask a question or want to discuss an opinion openly. I got called insane, was personally attacked - all for stating an opinion that those people held a different view of (and not even a contentious or controversial one!) I closed down one lot of media but ended up setting up an anonymous one with notifications turned off! It’s the only way I feel I can share anything and not be abused for it. I definitely don’t have anyone to share things with in person anymore. The last 2 years have just served to form harder dividing lines I think, with anyone taking a ‘side’ each telling their opposites that they’re stupid, ignorant, selfish and crazy. Those of us on the outside of both groups… well, I don’t really know where we fit. I certainly appreciate quiet time with my bunnies (where I just get to be) much more than I used to! I can’t deal with the human race right now. How did we end up here?
I hear you. Sharing things with my friends has become a no no. And I don't like feeling like I can’t be myself around them but that’s what has happened to many of us. I have a kitten now - he listens to me! And so does my husband. So I can’t complain too much! How did we get here indeed - but how do we get outta here is what I want to know.
I remember reading a book by Jon Ronson some time back, for the moment the title eludes me, he was making a similar point . He was talking about people on Google searches and similar. So I think it has been going on for some time.( I'l find the book tomorrow and be more specific) Do you remember when we had road rage in the news a lot? And supposedly people felt more able to be aggressive because they were safe in their cars and could drive away? I think this is an extension of this. People are frustrated so they act in ways they would not in person, and can be heroes of the moment, if they are in a little group. They are cowards, nothing more. And more often than not, they actually do not have an argument to put forward, so spout vitriol instead. Seems to me, most of the people blocked or de-platformed are the ones with something useful to say . Hence the action to block. It reminds me of being a child- you know, when you stick your fingers in your ears and sing lalala. Sadly, too many people are not adults when it comes to having serious conversations. We can't grow without listening to others' opinions, even if they are opposed to ours.Sometimes just listening reminds us of why we are so sure of our version. And ought we to stop twittering? Most definitely not. There will be a bird somewhere, singing the same song, and so glad to know he/she is not alone.
What a great image, a child sticking its fingers in their ears and singing la la la! Yes, it's like that alright. And I agree with you about the road rage too. Thanks so much for your comment. I moved onto GETTR and didn't find anyone there, I think it's all bots! So Twitter will be the place until something better comes along. I have a feeling that might happen at some point :-)
So the book I mentioned by Jon Ronson was called " You've been publicly shamed". It's about people being shamed on social media , sometimes because they've made a bad joke, but sometimes the shaming goes too far and they're demonised and have their lives torn apart. It's an interesting book because it gives insight into how people are feeling "entitled" to be abusive and destroy others' lives. Someone actually makes a spambot of the author and refuses to take it down. When Jon says it has taken his identity , the response is " the infomorph isn't taking your identity, it is repurposing social media data into an infomorphic aesthetic". It's worrying to me that we have entered into a world, willingly but perhaps a bit naively, where we can have character assassination by unknowns, who will have no consequences for their actions. It's become like a computer game, where to get to the next level, we have to achieve certain outcomes. And reading some of the stories, there is little, if any, regret for some of the serious outcomes. I suspect that at some point we shall have to choose a different place to air our views, at least some of us, but for the time being we are still wanting to engage . So I agree with you, it will happen automatically but we'll almost definitely be choosing some place safe. We'll leave the fighting behind for the usual platforms.
Wow that’s some story. Thanks for sharing. Interestingly I have someone pretending to be me on instagram and that isn’t being shut down. But if I was to say something against the narrative… when big tech plays along with the trolls then we don’t have much power at all. Time for a new place to speak. I like it here on Substack more and more.
If you get the chance to read the book- do so. It's clearly something that at the time when I first read it, some years ago, it didn't seem as though it would impact my life , or someone I knew. Reading your account confirms my fears- be extra vigilant . I have to get more familiar with Substack, it seems. Then I can take the leap, like you.
“Twitter is where cancel culture began”
That is a plausible theory, but in “The Real Anthony Fauci,” RFK Jr. writes, “[Fauci] brought in Cancel Culture, essentially, before anybody could imagine what it was.”
As if Fauci wasn’t responsible for enough destruction, misery, and death, he also brought us Cancel Culture.
And where is he? Has anybody seen him lately? Such a strange world we live in. Someone on twitter took credit for writing a script for Will Smiths slap… that’s what they’re all interested in now. Not this new paper which is shocking beyond belief. Here’s the link in case you didn’t see it yet. I got it from The Highwire insider email if you’re wondering where I found it.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8557950/
💯🙏
Hi Abby, thank you. Guess I’ll go first. I have very strong feelings about things. I read tons of Substack to try and become a little smarter. I especially appreciate those writers of different background than myself. I can usually pick up a slight point of enlightenment from them even though I disagree. I also read Twitter regularly, although I’m making Substack sort of my own little Twitter. I never tweet, I rarely re-tweet. In my humble opinion, Twitter is a bit of a cesspool (excuse if that’s too harsh). I know there are good people there.. but I have a feeling they’re very shy (like me) because they figure the juice ain’t worth the squeeze. P.S.: Love your work
Hi Clark, thanks for your bravery to go first!! I hope that more people will find their mojo to be able to say how they feel. It would be very attractive to just be an observer for sure but I can’t hold myself back a lot of the time! Though I am doing it more on Facebook - holding back. The draw has lessened for me. I do find Substack seems to be the place right now, but perhaps my own little space here will become more poetry and fried eggs, and less difficult truth! Thanks so much for the encouragement, sometimes it can feel like talking in a wind tunnel but I’ll keep going!