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The new silent majority: People who don't tweet

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Re: The new silent majority: People who don't tweet

#51
post #34

I don't engage on Twitter out of fear. I sometimes see posts that I like and want to retweet but I don't because it means I'm endorsing everything the author has ever said or ever will say. It's not worth the risk. People in my demographic face significant exposure to "cancelling" or ambushing for wrongthink. So it's best for me to avoid it entirely.

It's really easy to not be "canceled", just be a good person. What genuinely OK opinion are people being canceled for?

Define "good" and "ok" first.

A good person who doesn't use Twitter (someone who might fix cars, or works on a fishing vessel for example) who is having this little discussion about what is "good" and "ok" might very easily use the wrong words and offend someone.

Re: The new silent majority: People who don't tweet

#53
post #34

I don't engage on Twitter out of fear. I sometimes see posts that I like and want to retweet but I don't because it means I'm endorsing everything the author has ever said or ever will say. It's not worth the risk. People in my demographic face significant exposure to "cancelling" or ambushing for wrongthink. So it's best for me to avoid it entirely.

It's really easy to not be "canceled", just be a good person. What genuinely OK opinion are people being canceled for?

Who's the arbiter of an OK opinion?

Re: The new silent majority: People who don't tweet

#54
I thought this was fairly well understood that these communities follow some sort of Pareto ratio where a minority of people churn out most of the content, or are responsible for sending content to the top of feeds. I recall reading about it with regards to Twitter and Reddit, and it probably applies in some form or another with every social network that allows for passive participants.

Re: The new silent majority: People who don't tweet

#55

"Never pass up a chance to keep your mouth shut" Words my Dad taught me as I was growing up, but only really sank in the last 5 or so years ago.

I once worked for a company where several groups were VERY vocal about their complaints about each other. It seemed like bitching about the other team(s) was part of the job. Lots of walls built here and there between teams.

I kept quiet. I decided bitching was too tiresome / nobody was getting anything done, nobody was getting better by having complainants flung at them.

After I established relationships with various folks across the groups, I had folks from every team come to me / were available to me in ways they never would for each other.

My job was 2x easier as far as getting help / information / cooperation compared to the folks complaining non stop.

There were groups I agreed with / disagreed with (one group was straight wrong about nearly everything), but throwing a fit just made for worse relationships.

I still made suggestions to folks whose job it was to manage these groups, politely, gently, often quietly, but if they did or did not fix it / repeating myself wasn't a big focus for me.

I've long since given up on right and wrong (well outside real moral issues) and more about how to get to the end as best as possible with the relationships / people available.

Re: The new silent majority: People who don't tweet

#56

I don't engage on Twitter out of fear. I sometimes see posts that I like and want to retweet but I don't because it means I'm endorsing everything the author has ever said or ever will say. It's not worth the risk. People in my demographic face significant exposure to "cancelling" or ambushing for wrongthink. So it's best for me to avoid it entirely.

[deleted]

Re: The new silent majority: People who don't tweet

#57

The most active social media users are usually people lacking in real life. Think about it, if you have a great job, a great partner and a great life, are you on Twitter arguing 20 to 30 hours a week. The type of person to argue with strangers all day has none of the above. It's also a matter of recognizing how insignificant we all are. No one cares what I think. Hopefully no one ever will. I do want to create games…

this is not my experience at all. All the people who were popular in high school and who have a very active social life are also the most prolific twitter users.

The aren't generally arguing though.

Re: The new silent majority: People who don't tweet

#58
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's really easy to not be "canceled", just be a good person. What genuinely OK opinion are people being canceled for?

Define "good" and "ok" first. A good person who doesn't use Twitter (someone who might fix cars, or works on a fishing vessel for example) who is having this little discussion about what is "good" and "ok" might very easily use the wrong words and offend someone.

Really? This is easy, don't hurt other people.

Re: The new silent majority: People who don't tweet

#59
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is far more risk for some than others. If you have a minority viewpoint, you get attacked far more easily.

I would even say viewpoint of not the vocal minority. That is even near majority viewpoint, but if it is one not popular on twitter it is risky...

Isn't the whole dynamic of twitter that it can make a highly vocal minority viewpoint seem like an oppressive majority viewpoint, where reality is that it's like a heckler's veto on amphetamines with a megaphone?

Re: The new silent majority: People who don't tweet

#60

I don't engage on Twitter out of fear. I sometimes see posts that I like and want to retweet but I don't because it means I'm endorsing everything the author has ever said or ever will say. It's not worth the risk. People in my demographic face significant exposure to "cancelling" or ambushing for wrongthink. So it's best for me to avoid it entirely.

You’re getting cancelled for your views? Which views are those, exactly?
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