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Why are people so adversarial on social media? Why do I keep seeing people setting traps, or baiting people? (beehaw.org)

submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Social media is one hell of a drug. It'd have you swallowing giant gummy worms whole at the back of a sip'n'strut. Oh sure, the catharsis is nice, but at some point you'll need to ask yourself "why are we like this?"

Lately I've been noticing how some comments make me want to exclaim "IT'S A TRAP!". Obvious, open and quite frankly kinda basic baiting, like some disgruntled parent at a PTA, smacking his chest with his bare hand, telling another parent "cash me outside bro how bout dat?"

Like okay, this one comment was doing a set up where the intention was to either get someone to A) depose Hamas or B) defend Hamas, with the intent of jumping down someone's throat.

Why are people like this, mommy? And why am I calling someone "mommy" on social media? Can't we just make homemade cookies like we used to do on rainy nights, and be happy? And why is daddy always drinking the unhappy juice? I think I probably already answered that question...

Mommy, I want McDonald's!!!

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Here's a fantastic video on the topic of spreading ideas. It's from CGP Grey and it's about 6 minutes long.

Now keep one key thing in mind: social media algorithms feed on engagement (if people engage, it gets boosted) so the more engagement something gets the more it gets pushed to other's feed. And as the video talks about, different emotions get different levels of engagement and levels of sharing.

Anger is the one that comes out on top, so anger is what gets the feedback loop really churning.

And if all you see on the Internet is enraging things, you start getting enraged faster and easier. For every idea there is, there's another person out there who will get angry at the mention of it.

He does a great job explaining it in his video.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Oh dear that comment really gets me angry. How can you be so sensible on social media!!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)