Y'know, for a self-styled digital hermit, I still spend a fair amount of time on social media; primarily YouTube & Discord.
And in these online spaces, I often find people getting into arguments.
"People, arguing on the internet!? Surely you jest Sasquatch!"
I know it's shocking to hear, but it's true. As it turns out, people argue on the internet all the time...
...or rather, they pretend to argue; play-acting rigourous debate, self-styled aribiters of truth & rationality nobly crusading against the misinformed hordes of troglodytes infesting the general chats, comment sections, and discussion forums of the internet.
In actuality, most of this so-called 'debate' is a zero-sum dick measuring contest waged with the intent of validating one's own preconceptions by shouting "I'm right! Your wrong!" at people who don't 100% agree with your worldview. Inevitably this leads to people shouting past each other, utterly convinced that their perspective is the objective truth while refusing to entertain the notion of 'putting yourself in each other's shoes'.
This behaviour isn't debate. This 'debate' is just validation-seeking social behaviour masquerading as debate.
People do not engage in 'debate' because they're genuinely curious about what other people think and why they think the things they think. They just want to feel good for being correct, for believing the right things, for saying the right words, for being one of the 'good guys'.
In my opinion, it's merely a modern expression of the way people are | the way people have always been. This sort of behaviour isn't new. People have always wanted to prove themselves to the group, to demonstrate that they belong by saying & doing the 'right' things; a primordial compulsion rooted in the instinctual imperative to belong to the tribe, the group.
The kinds of people who feel compelled to express their opinion and to seek social validation thru these online spaces aren't inherently evil or wrong for doing so. Despite how nasty online debate can get thanks to the shield of anonymity, I don't believe that people spew insults at each other for saying the opposite, wrong, bad, evil mindlessly.
They're merely seeking out that which they otherwise lack; a real, live social circle where they belong, where they feel safe, where they can express themselves without the everpresent antagonism of 'them', the 'bad guys', constantly passing undue judgement, insults, or cruelty; that base compulsion to belong.
This isn't to say that people shouldn't have their views challenged, or that debate with the intent of coming to a greater understanding isn't possible. I just think the digital equivalent of that one public toilet stall covered in literal shit-talk scrawled in sharpie isn't the forum in which to seek out and conduct civil, rational discussion.
If you disagree with a comment you see online, a comment that riles you up, a comment that compels you to respond, to smite down their ill-informed drivel with righteous fury...
...maybe it's time to put the phone down and go talk with a real person; a friend, a family member, your partner, your pet, your neighbor, or even a random stranger.
