Did you notice increased hostility on social media?

[emptydreamer]

I am posting this in the coronavirus section as I suspect it could be explained by the lockdown.

I don't mean on MN, or other anonymised social networks, but rather platforms where people post under their actual names and are connected with real-life friends. I am a long-standing member of a couple of parenting groups on fb, and many of them seem to have switched into some sort of an active warfare mode recently, resulting in bans issued en masse after participants started saying things to each other that are quite hurtful (not the usual social-media-hurtful, but quite extreme, really). Not even along the usual fault lines, but just people snapping out of the blue on the most insignificant of topics.

Just wondered if that is something other people see as well, or is it just me noticing it more as spending more time now online (could well be)?

Someone asked earlier if our local WHSmith was open and people started snapping and saying it wasn’t essential (turned out it was for school supplies). People who respond to any question with “aren’t we supposed to be in lockdown?!?”

This sounds just like our local pages. No thread gets very far without someone uttering the immortal words "stay home". I just scroll past and never comment anymore. I agree people are generally more unpleasant these days - rows in the supermarket over masks and social distancing arsey customers at work, friends falling out on social media because one of them went out etc etc. People are just fed up or scared and have little patience. It's horrible.

Yep. Everyone is at the end of their tether, worried, pissed of, and lashing out.

I genuinely believe that once we open up again there is going to be another roaring twenties. So much pent up tension needs an outlet somehow.

@Aimee1987

Everyone is at breaking point. Kids being homeschooled, no socialising either for the kids or adults. Essentially locked in a house with the same bunch of people. Even in situations where you have a good home life this situation will test it. I have certainly been guilty of being over sensitive and short with people this year. Its alot harder to read situations and tone in writing and I think people have just reached the end of their patience.

Yes, I noticed it with myself as well - I also noticed that I started to take voluntary breaks from human communication (despite missing it terribly) - not to over-react accidentally.

@BananaPop2020

Yes, but it is similar on here too. If you disagree with someone, the response can be quite personal and hostile.

I think it has been a feature of anonymous social platforms pretty much all the time (now more intense, I agree). What is surprising to me is people saying quite vile things online to people they often know offline (their facebook friends). As if not seeing them in person for long time had virtualised these connections and turned them from real people into a sort of game characters or chatbots - don't know how to explain this better.

@DirtyDancing

Yes absolutely. Seems we are very much on the ‘anger’ part of the Kubler-Ross Change Curve

Today I learned something new, thanks. I dread the moment when everyone will hit "depression" at the same time.

@Swiftjogger

Empathy has definitely gone out of the window and it’s horrible. I feel particularly for the elderly on our local groups who seem to inadvertently say the wrong thing and get piled on.

Treatment of elderly (well, not exactly elderly, but older than the most of participants) is exactly what triggered this question. A lady in her late 60s, well known and respected in the online community, a retired teacher, posted offering free help with online learning (and in a very niche subject too - a rare language that the majority of the group are teaching their children due to heritage reasons). The abuse she got back was unbelievable, stopping very short of death wishes - from people who know her offline and whose children were tutored by her offline before.

@HartinClouds

Dissent is in the air... I'm feeling very world weary at present. I believe we are the precipice of great change. And not for the better. Evil is at large. People are angry and looking for something, anything to lash out on.

The way you put it sends shivers down my spine but yes, it does feel like some very primitive evil is at large.

Yes, it’s horrible. Worse on fb with ‘friends’ than groups of strangers I’ve found.