> I don't really understand sentiments like this - Twitter is just a means for people to communicate. If the apparent result of this communication is "tearing us apart", then isn't that the fault of the end to which people communicate, and not the means by which they communicate?
No, tooling and the incentives around them matter. Twitter makes it super easy to find the worst examples of the other side/take them out of context, and circulate what they said among 'your people' to get massive retweets. Twitter does this because it creates a more engaging experience. Yes, if people were perfect robots, Twitter could just be a means for people to communicate. But the incentive structure of social media, ie: what goes viral, selects for outrage. The medium is the message.
> Twitter makes it super easy to find the worst examples of the other side/take them out of context, and circulate what they said among 'your people' to get massive retweets. Twitter does this...
i mean, i can give plenty others that do exactly what you said. twitter is not unique and certainly not the problem.
i read his final(?) tweets and the reasons why he decided to leave twitter. and i don't think or remember him blaming the medium.
The pressure to keep one's communication brief due to the 240 character limit makes nuanced communication much more laborious, and that results in more conflict.
No, tooling and the incentives around them matter. Twitter makes it super easy to find the worst examples of the other side/take them out of context, and circulate what they said among 'your people' to get massive retweets. Twitter does this because it creates a more engaging experience. Yes, if people were perfect robots, Twitter could just be a means for people to communicate. But the incentive structure of social media, ie: what goes viral, selects for outrage. The medium is the message.