re: recent discourse, a note for both sides
before you draw battle lines and decide that the cause is worth tossing around, please remember
this started because someone, in an act of digital self-harm, wanted to post something they know would be controversial - and hurtful - enough to push people away, because that was their coping strategy.
it's a good time to sit and examine if your motivations are significantly different, and what makes them so.
re: recent discourse, a note for both sides
@wigglytuffitout "digital self harm" is a good phrase
re: recent discourse, a note for both sides
@InspectorCaracal stolen straight-up from contrapoints lol, though i did yoink it from her and realize it was a succinct summary of what *i* used to do, and sometimes *still struggle with* - going and starting a fight online so i could feel better. (she describes it as more "going and reading comments that make her feel bad intentionally").
it's a pretty big siren fucking song to get to feel in control, to get to feel vindicated, etc. but... unhealthy.
re: recent discourse, a note for both sides
@wigglytuffitout I had a good friend who did pretty much exactly what you described earlier - lashed out antagonistically at his friends online in order to make them retaliate
re: recent discourse, a note for both sides
@InspectorCaracal it's hard, honestly. self-sabotage is a hell of a thing.
i'm lucky that my variant was mostly just... trawling for easy fights and picking on people so i could feel like i was doing something good and 'on the right side'
and also that honestly the fibro made it super obvious. you get angry? you're going to tense up and feel like shit. having that built-in translation to physical pain made me learn quick LOL
