I spend a lot of evenings thinking about the Twitter mob. It keeps me up at night sometimes.

See, my situation wasn’t all that bad, but obviously it left a lasting impact.

Members of the Twitter mob are quick to accuse you of being problematic. They will try and shame you.

If you defend yourself, it makes matters worse.

So, after a certain point, you may sit down and shut up.

Plus, bystanders get tired of hearing your story. I don’t blame them. It’s old and stale.

The mob has moved on. Why can’t you?

There’s a few reasons...

1. Your reputation is ruined. Maybe not, but what’s important is it *feels* ruined.

Once the mob has viciously attacked, targets will walk on eggshells. They test out topics to figure out what the are allowed to post without experiencing a second wave of harassment.

2. You never forget the insults & who said them. I have a terrible memory, but I remember who said what.

The hardest part about that experience is seeing how quickly people turn against you. It makes you question yourself and their behavior.

3. You become bitter and angry.

“The mob moved on, but I wasn’t finished. I was never given a chance to explain. They didn’t care what I had to say.”

That’s more or less the sentiment with in-group online harassment.

4. You see hypocrisy everywhere.

Members of the mob will nail you to the cross, but they allow themselves the opportunity to gently correct their behavior. How appropriate and forgiving.

In some cases, these folks may not even acknowledge their own behavior. If they do, they may bend over backwards and explain why their situation is not the same as yours.

The mental gymnastics and moving of goalposts are what keep me up at night.

Everyday there’s a different member of the in-group to attack.

The mob moves on, but targets don’t. We sit and process the experience.

Why do you eat your own?

I’m at the point now where so many people have gone through similar experiences that it’s difficult to keep track of everyone.

I used to do regular check ins, but I don’t have the bandwidth to reach out to folks as frequently as I did in the past. There’s too many people now.

I’m 100% fine. Maybe a little jaded

But, I share these thoughts so people know what it’s like to go through this. I don’t do this for sympathy.

Here’s what’s important:

In six months, I changed from hardcore liberal to firm moderate.

I’m not alone. There are many of us now.

The mob expects 100% agreement on all issues.

Members who have a different world view or opinion aren’t respected. They are attacked and excommunicated.

When targets are labeled enemies/threats, they eventually lose interest in being a member of the in-group. They don’t try to restore status/gain good standing.

Why? It’s impossible to do so.

The mob is irrational. If someone decides to rehash old drama, the harassment restarts.