I think this is true more broadly, but more obvious on twitter (where we can observe conversations between others more than we can IRL). People often focus more on saying what they want to say than figuring out how to create the change they are hoping for.
One odd thing on Twitter (& elsewhere, but it's so common here) is people making insightful points with such hostility that they greatly damage their chances of reaching the people they think they're trying to reach.
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Nicely put! It carries a high cost in alienating others. I often block or mute such accounts, as a form of mental hygiene (I'm pretty sure that when I read too much hostility I become more hostile myself, which seems bad).
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I think a lot of has to do with people trying to *win* conversations versus *build* a conversation. If you layer ideas nicely, you get a wonderful mesh you probably couldn't have done on your own. It's just so much easier to bulldoze than to build.pic.twitter.com/ym7epoeBkP
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"Who's winning in this conversation?" is an amusing question to ponder. (Often, the ideal answer is: everyone.) I think you're right. I think there's something else though: some people do seem to (a) be angry; and (b) have a need to self-express their ideas. Bad combination.
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Twitter by design encourages this behavior: you are writing to a group of "followers" who already agree with you and will applaud if you make a point about what they already believe with hostility. Design challenge: how to change Twitter so this happens less often?
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Nice analysis.
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The Taleb Paradox.
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I know at least one popular tweeter who revels in abusive language even though he is often substantively correct. Sort of sad.
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I noticed (on social media in general) that dumb take-downs often receive more likes, shares, etc. We're social creatures, and like feeling validated by others. In some ways, though, I think it's just a short-term optimization.
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I've concluded they're more interested in being lauded by friends than in having productive conversations that could persuade, leading to a tendency to make (often erroneous) assumptions about why people think differently and thus no effort to meet them where they're at.
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