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greenstormSaw these two things elseweb:
I think also internet discourse is strongly geared to a win-loss mentality–there’s lots of approbation for anecdotes where somebody served up petty revenge or a scorching riposte or a devastating monologue because the other person “deserved it.” There’s not much internet approbation for anecdotes where somebody deescalated a situation.
I think it’s that, and it’s more general than that: there’s been a shift towards one-time interactions. In a “small town” context, everyone knows each other, and rudeness has ample opportunity to be returned. If you’re mean to the butcher, expect the baker to greet you with “you made my sister cry, get out of my store”. There goes your ability to buy groceries in that town ever again. There are consequences. Now? You’ll never see these people again, so it doesn’t matter.
I think also internet discourse is strongly geared to a win-loss mentality–there’s lots of approbation for anecdotes where somebody served up petty revenge or a scorching riposte or a devastating monologue because the other person “deserved it.” There’s not much internet approbation for anecdotes where somebody deescalated a situation.
I think it’s that, and it’s more general than that: there’s been a shift towards one-time interactions. In a “small town” context, everyone knows each other, and rudeness has ample opportunity to be returned. If you’re mean to the butcher, expect the baker to greet you with “you made my sister cry, get out of my store”. There goes your ability to buy groceries in that town ever again. There are consequences. Now? You’ll never see these people again, so it doesn’t matter.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-15 05:59 pm (UTC)