10 Comments

Absolutely loved this. The anonymity afforded by social media has created entire classes of boors

Expand full comment

It's an unfortunate fact, but the younger generations, who've teethed on social media, are not prone to thoughtful intellectual dialogue. Meme-deep, personal insults and "peacocking" (as you describe) are not a substitute for research, historical context and the advancement of ones' ideas. And yet they "demand" the same respect you do (as if one can "demand" respect!).

An anecdote: I left facebook after my then 21-year old niece - a certifiable example of her generation - attacked my neighbor over a thoughtful 2nd Amendment comment he'd made in response to something I'd posted regarding the "militia trope" that Dems have propagated for decades - smitten utterly and completely by the Supreme Court Hobbes decision. She advised him (my neighbor) and me, that we "needed to do a little research" on the subject. My neighbor was then a sitting judge and a licensed, practicing attorney of 25 years, while I'd served a full 30 year career as an officer in the Army. And my niece's expertise? Zero - her "research" apparently didn't include the Hobbes decision at all, and merely parroted progressive "talking points" that substitute for "research" among that generation. Where's the purpose in having a "debate" with someone like that?

Expand full comment
author

The "removal" of instant personal feedback is a big culprit, but as we are learning from the pro-Palestine protests in America, not the only one. One of the lessons of "woke" is that it's OK (desired, even) to treat people disparately. IOW, to abandon the golden rule. That bit of social lubricant, in existence for thousands of years, is being lost. And with it, everything else.

It's what I'm currently writing about.

Expand full comment

Oh, to my primary point! I like Substack because it allows writers to stretch out and substantiate their thoughts - another reason for leaving the goofy facebook behind. I certainly hope that nothing I've posted (as a conservative with libertarian leanings) against your pieces was perceived as "personal" or boorish.

Expand full comment
author

Not in the least. It's hard to convey intent or "attitude" in posts, and when people disagree things can sometimes seem as they aren't (something I worry about in my own responses), but the longer the exchange or history of interaction, the easier it is to figure out.

Expand full comment

Less personal but also annoying is the routine & childish deployment of the “sarcastic laugh” emoji to someone’s thoughtful post with no explanation of why the troll disagrees with it. Pro-Hamas people live to do this.

Expand full comment

You won’t get any disagreements from me; rather, you have given me awareness that I am also libertarian 😁

Expand full comment
author

Welcome to the dark side!

Expand full comment

Au contraire, Mon Frere, it is the Enlightened Side! WOW! Our first disagreement! 😁

Expand full comment