A users guide to twitter outrage

This is not about **your issue**

[thread]

Have been watching the outrage cycles on this website, which keep coming in waves, and have made a few casual observations

Original tweet - outrage cycles often begin with a single tweet.

A topic that was just sitting there is QT'd by a third part, who puts a topspin on it.

The original tweet frames why the issue is problematic or why it warrants your anger

Some folks have figured out the right way to set one of these topspin tweets sailing across the universe.

Psychologists and linguists should study the precise tone and word choice that achieves it.

When you encounter such an original tweet, it is always important to read the cited, 'sinning' tweets or news stories.

If the sinning tweet is vague, is it possible the user was not actually talking about the issue claimed?

Often it is not just possible, but likely

If someone makes a general critical comments about the value of petitions, why would you assume it is about *your * petition?

This is a bizarre self-centered view of the world, yet often required in instigating these cycles

That is why I added the disclaimed to my tweet.

Because this is *actually* not about your issue, and yet many are compelled to read it that way.

It is about many many many instances

Alternatively, if the cited offense is a news story, or facebook post or even a book, and you want to be mad-- you have an intellectually obligation to read the primary material with open mind and reach your own conclusion

Was the outrage, original tweet an accurate summary or was it spun/ distorted or inaccurate?

I have had folks angry about my book based on inaccurate summary posted online, and the claim was specifically refuted in the book-- hence the irrationality

Side note: my books have thematic content more closely linked to sleep than anger; hence my surprise!

Often when I read the cited *sinning* material, I find the outrage tweet was an unfair summary

If someone puts a original, outrage tweet into the world that is a distortion or inaccurate, they are essentially filing a false-complaint, in this modern ecosystem-- should be treated as such

Of course, at other times, the original tweet is accurate!

Remember, outrage cycles develop tremendous force. Hundreds, thousands of even millions pile on. RT, QT, amplify tweeting-- where the next user tweets even more vehemently than the prior user

What should we do with that (transient) energy...

The real question is what is the structural problem, and what would ameliorate it?

Its important to keep in mind what the ultimate cause and goal is and ask what is the best use of the powerful emotional force opened by the original tweet

The value of outrage is to channel it towards real and durable reforms.

That guiding principle may help shape discussion and responses.

Its not to remove one specific incident of a broader failure, and live with the problem

Having this mentality might shape subsequent users to discuss the concern more broadly, to articulate a set of goals that could be attained, to use a moment of outrage to generate a broader reform and not simply to eliminate one offender.

Much of this work may require actions in the real world, and not online

That takes real effort, but is worth it.

Tough Q: do you want the offender to commit suicide?

This is hard to hear, but online mass action on this scale is linked to suicide. After the first 100 people have expressed concerns (typically harsher and harsher) ask yourself if you believe this person should commit suicide

If you do not-- and you really shouldn't-- you might ask yourself if continuing to pile on is the best use of your time. Do you really want to be comment #400 for someone for whom the message was delivered?

Perhaps some people are so detestable that they warrant extreme scorn. But I tend to support justice that corrects systemic failures and uses justice as a tool to rehabilitate, not to destroy.

I used to think this is what liberals stood for too.

Fourth, the cycle ends and next week it is the next issue

But what are you doing on the last issue?

If you were willing to support outrage a week ago or a month ago, what is your sustained commitment to the cause?

If it is minimal -- this requires self reflection

Fifth, don't kill allies.

The tendency to take ideological allies and punish them for views slightly outside the most extreme cannon is strong, but intensely self defeating.

Capture the swing voters. In life and on twitter, the swing voter is the key. Rallying the base is not the way to win real changes, capturing folks who initially are uncertain. This often takes the opposite rhetorical skills. Patience, and nuance, and kindness and time.

Sixth, never forget this platform is weaponizing anger.

It is the single greatest commodity on this website.

Don't let them control you

That's it. Just a few thoughts.

Final note: this thread is about many patterns of outrage

There is no shortage, sadly