Just a PSA, the more know, and knowing-is-half-the-battle post.
As a guy whose job it is to be chronically online and produce online content, I've had more than a few viral moments and not all of them were based on positive reactions.
Given that my profession involves politics, the negative reactions can be particularly vicious. I've had vile insults, online stalkers, and death threats against me. As awful as that is, it comes with the territory. If you're a public figure, if you're not a super famous one, you're going to expose yourself to people who really disagree with you and they're more than happy to let you know it in all sorts of awful ways.
When you introduce a little anonymity and a safe distance, you'll notice people get way braver than they actually are. They wouldn't dream of threatening you to your face in normal circumstances, but the internet has created the opportunity for the cowardly to convince themselves they're brave.
But when you first run into this, it can be shocking. Even if you're used to the spotlight, political disagreement carries with it a sort of edge. It can actually ruin you. You can be cut off from opportunities, friend groups, and more. Politics is one of the few subjects where guidelines have been created for destroying your opponent professionally and personally in order to be sure your side succeeds.
This is why when Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, liked a Trump tweet, she suddenly found herself in a realm she'd never been in before and was somewhat shocked at the result. While she's not exactly a stranger to fame, any backlash she got was generally in regard to her husband or other things that made her look like a spoiled brat. This was a different beast, and it was a bit daunting. Her husband had to help her through it, and help her understand that the people who hate you online aren't your chief concern, pun very much intended.
🚨 Brittany Mahomes: I "don't give a f*ck" about Trump backlash
— Resist the Mainstream (@ResisttheMS) August 29, 2024
Britany Mahomes recently received backlash for her support of Trump. pic.twitter.com/gfxD4KPy3z
Inspiring moment, and one that I'm sure is going to make it real awkward the next time she and Taylor Swift are in the booth together.
But whether or not you like Mahomes, she does have a point here, and it's one that I feel we need to remember.
The internet isn't real life. It's fun to be on. It's a great source of info, but the people you're interacting with aren't the people they are in real life... or at least they very rarely are.
But you knew that, that's why I want to add something here that you'll ultimately find very useful.
Humanity loves to correct others when they're wrong. I'm sure a psychologist can tell you why, but there is some chemical sensation that shoots into our brains that gives us enough pleasure that when we have the opportunity to correct someone else, we almost can't resist it.
The funny thing is, people will do this if they merely think they're right, or at least, are convinced they are. If you post an opinion online, a leftist will come along shortly to correct you. In fact, a bunch of them might. They're going to dogpile you, try to make you feel like an idiot, and make it so you feel like you should never post again. They will believe they achieved a victory, but for you this is the best-case scenario.
You got something way more valuable. You got their arguments and have their talking points. Don't even respond if you don't want to. You got what you needed.
From here you can look on various social media sites and news sites and learn how to debunk their points very easily, because chances are this talking point has been circulating around for a while and has already been shot down by someone else. X is an insanely good resource for this, which is part of the reason despotic governments both domestic and foreign want to shut it down.
With that info, you can now have competent conversations in real life about politics and be convincing, because while you're probably not going to convince anyone online of anything, you can in your personal relationships, and that IS real life.
But it starts with not caring what comes at you online. You can learn a lot from making the left angry, and you should do it as much as possible. They're going to say all sorts of horrible things to you, but oh well. It's no real sweat off your back.
So go make a leftist mad. Let them "correct" you, and then find out how to counter that talking point, because if they're making that point, then a whole bunch of others are. This is a hive mind we're dealing with after all, and while it makes them look scary by pure numbers, you can make them work for you. Once you see them as a utility, they become a lot less frightening.
