Tribalism and internet shaming

This one is off the path a bit. Been on my mind lately and a few days ago I was listening to Marc Maron's podcast WTFand he had a mini interview with Jon Ronson of NYTimes and his book So You've Been Shamed on the Internet or some such. It really got me thinking hard about something I've always thought about a bit - internet shaming.

I'm not talking about one aspect of it but I'm now trying to conceive all aspects of it. Sure, you've got someone taking a picture of a fast guy at a buffet and posting it and it goes viral both negatively and positively. I'm against that. I'm also, now, against a person tweeting something stupid and losing their job over it.

(I will not link or use real cases, there are plenty out there if you care to search yourself. About one a week actually... just cruise your FB)

For instance, a well-paid CEO may tweet something that can be construed as racist... and it may be racist... but it is not in line with their own true beliefs. People are losing whole careers over this now. Like, never able to be in that path again loss. I don't think a salty joke, no matter how poorly made, is worth the loss of a whole career... let alone family and life.

I get it, people are assholes and others want to bring down assholes and social media and the internet made that more accessible. Problem is "others" are now also becoming assholes and there is no check on that as tribalism is a very powerful thing and that, in my opinion, is the gas that fuels this. Tribalism.

Also, some people do deserve what they earn - like real known Nazis and murderers and such. I'm not talking about them.

We like to wear "I'm One Of These!!" shirts. We like to identify ourselves and identify others. Fuck like.... we NEED to do this. It's human condition and desire and a powerful thing. People have killed over this concept, killed millions in some cases.

The pattern I see:

• Fancy business owner Tweets something that can be (or just is) a horrible remark. Something like "I hate cats, they should be lit on fire #burncatsalive" - it could have been part of a joke, they could have made a mistake and meant to text that, they could've been quoting someone else, they could've been drunk. They may actually hate cats but was being hyperbolic. Who knows? ... one thing proven though as that they have never lit a cat on fire.
• Internet get's a hold of it.
• Retweeted a jillion times.
• FB links proliferate.
• Everyone posts an opinion about it.
• You have to as if you don't you are now "a cat hater" too... so you better post something about how that person needs to be burned alive themselves so you can have the same t-shirt as everyone else.
• We start getting into power-fantasy land.
• Fancy Business Owner loses business.

I've taken part in this, I'm guilty. I've also seen what happens when you look at different aspects, people place you in the category of "you are them."

THAT is what I don't like and wish to not be a part of anymore. Internet shaming of people does not stop the behavior being rallied against, it proliferates it among others.

Like I always said (and I am sure more popular and smarter people have said it before me):
Violence is effective in stopping an immediate threat but is never effective in solving the universal issue that was the impetus to the threat.

I am absolutely certain that all the times I had to get physical with some one at a bar or club while being a bouncer did not change their mind. Like, they didn't wake up the next morning thinking, "Well, golly - that bouncer was right and I should look into the reasons why I drink too much and yell at people." I was able to end the immediate threat though which was always my goal.