Meta's "Twitter killer" app Threads is on its way – and you can get a cheat code to download it

What is wrong with people these days, and why is communications technology bringing out the worst in some (no, really)?
 
martinbayer said:
What is wrong with people these days, and why is communications technology bringing out the worst in some (no, really)?
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It all started with Facebook which broke the culture of personal privacy and intellectual openness on the net. Everything went downhill from there.

Fast forward and being a manipulative jerk has become a major industry.
 
hagaricus said:
It all started with Facebook which broke the culture of personal privacy and intellectual openness on the net. Everything went downhill from there.

Fast forward and being a manipulative jerk has become a major industry.
Click to expand...
You're right - I realize my own failings in this respect, and I sincerely apologize to anyone and everyone on this forum that I have offended or disparaged over the years, and I aim to do better going forward. But my (at times overly personal and offensive/aggressive) dissent was always motivated by sincerely, deeply, held beliefs, convictions, and principles, but not by any intent to just rile up discord as a troll.
 
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My two cents: social media make it easier to share opinions, with physical separation lessening the chance of bodily harm when someone takes offense. A frank exchange of views results.
 
Hi Martin,

martinbayer said:
What is wrong with people these days, and why is communications technology bringing out the worst in some (no, really)?
Click to expand...

Without communication, you won't get in contact with the worst in others :)

And "these days" ... you might want to check out Schopenhauer's "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument", dating back to 1830:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_Being_Right
He was basically writing an inventory of the recurring trolling tricks he was annoyed by on a regular basis.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)
 
For myself,, face to face means seeing the eyes, the facial expression of those we are conversing with. You get to SEE the mischevious twinkle in the eye of the joker that is simply not there in these distant conversations.

This is something that turns me off anti social media and the like, even forums can be a minefield if we are tired and having a bad day, that 'Tuesday' feeling perhaps. I will readily admit to and apologise for my own errors of judgement and conduct. I'm sorry folks, sincerely.
 
Arjen said:
My two cents: social media make it easier to share opinions, with physical separation lessening the chance of bodily harm when someone takes offense. A frank exchange of views results.
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I have to strongly disagree; before social media as we know it today, there were many social arenas online, from bbs chatrooms, to IRC, to various newsgroups and fora. All of these had a better culture than the current crop of troll-factory infested argument arenas. People were pseudonymous, but the reputation of ones nick or handle was preciously guarded. Today people are fully identified and don't give 2 farts for what anyone outside their echochamber thinks. Hence debate has died and gone to a hell tormented by devils foreign and domestic, professional and amateur alike.
 
To be honest, I had forgotten about the early fora.
The bbs chatrooms and the other early online communities weren't attracting the crowds today's social media draw. Maybe something to do with critical mass? Or a conscious effort by companies like Meta and Twitter to boost revenue by generating controversies? Any other explanations?
 
Hi Arjen,

Arjen said:
The bbs chatrooms and the other early online communities weren't attracting the crowds today's social media draw. Maybe something to do with critical mass? Or a conscious effort by companies like Meta and Twitter to boost revenue by generating controversies? Any other explanations?
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Lemon Market: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Market_for_Lemons

People trying to have a productive discourse, but being subjected to trolling tricks instead, leave the platform (or stop writing). The trolls stay.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)
 
Interesting, I have to consider the consequences. Thanks!
 
A friend of mine has an attractive daughter. Some years ago, she ran up to him and excitedly announced that she now had hundreds of friends on Facebook. It went like this:

Father: Have you met any of these people in person?

"No."

Father: Have you talked to any of them on the phone?

"No."

Father: "Then how are they your friends?"
 
Twitter has lost almost half of its advertising revenue since it was bought by Elon Musk for $44bn (£33.6bn) last October, its owner has revealed.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66217641
Meghana Dhar, the former head of partnerships at Snap and Meta, which owns the new Twitter rival Threads, said the company had been struggling prior to Mr Musk's buyout.
"Elon and Twitter are in a candidly tough position right now," she told the BBC's Today programme. "To be fair to Elon though, we've seen that decline in Twitter revenue and growth in revenue since pre-Elon - there's been kind of a steady decline."
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