On: Ask HN: How do we stop the polarization/toxicicity...

[ebg13]

> Before, around 2010-2012, people who disagreed would usually leave it at that and walk away respectfully.

I don't know what internet you were using, but this does not match my experience. The internet has been a dickfighting playground since at least the 90s. The biggest difference is that comment threads are the majority of how people create content on the internet now and they weren't before.

[jandrese → ebg13]

The term "flamewar" predates all social networks except Usenet. It was not an isolated occurrence in the early days of the net.

[ebg13 → jandrese]

Are you responding to something I said? If so I can't tell what.

[jandrese → ebg13]

> The internet has been a dickfighting playground since at least the 90s

I was just reinforcing your point by pointing out one of the earliest phrases coined on the Internet is about people discussing a topic without civility.

[cr0sh → ebg13]

> The biggest difference is that comment threads are the majority of how people create content on the internet now and they weren't before.

Were you not around for newsgroup flame-wars of the early 90s (and probably long before that, if you were among the lucky few that had access)...?

[ebg13 → cr0sh]

I was. The web went from not most people on it to not most people commenting in threads to now where most people are commenting in threads. Newsgroups fall into the first two categories. So I think you're not really disagreeing with me. I might have missed a word in my statement though?

Anyway my point is mostly to suggest that OP is wrong from ignorance.