There is no option but to engage with people on the internet. Its a new domain in which a new form of social life unfolds.
We are horrible at it because the rules of "real" life engagement, honed over millenia of civilization building don't apply, but unless we figure out the new rules we miss out on something important.
The reason that after several decades of 'online' we dont converge on something agreeable has much to do with the ever changing technical platforms, outside of the control of users, which seldom have this aspect as one of their driving concern.
From their perspective the cynical "any engagement is good engagement" reigns supreme
We are horrible at it because the rules of "real" life engagement, honed over millenia of civilization building don't apply, but unless we figure out the new rules we miss out on something important.
The reason that after several decades of 'online' we dont converge on something agreeable has much to do with the ever changing technical platforms, outside of the control of users, which seldom have this aspect as one of their driving concern.
From their perspective the cynical "any engagement is good engagement" reigns supreme