the other thing about Internet dogpiling is that it is just not possible to think clearly during the acute stages. itâs so easy to criticize people for responding defensively or tactlessly to mass criticism but I cannot overstate the degree to which your brain becomes a rat in a trap. I think we do have to temporarily recalibrate our expectations in these circumstances and accept that they do not necessarily represent how that person responds to criticism. the skills for self-regulating and reacting to normal interpersonal criticism are not the same skills needed to respond to viral callouts.
as other people have pointed out:
for most of human history, if a bunch of people are really mad at you specifically all at once, it means youâre about to die badly. obviously thatâs not the case with internet controversy (âŚusually) but our nervous systems donât know that. I just think thatâs a variable we have to consider inherent to the circumstances rather than an aberration.
