It's also troubling that social media leads people who are longtime friends to treat each other like jerks. It's so dismaying to see people who have known each other for years, or decades, ripping each other to pieces without a second thought on Facebook.
Doubtless many old friends had strong differences about politics, culture, etc. but in the pre-Internet age, they could often hold their tongues for civil get-togethers on occasion. Letter-writing took substantial time and effort.
But now we're bathed in each other's opinions all the time and can take umbrage instantly. We don't even have to use complete sentences. Friendships can turn into fights with a couple of emojis. Arguments break out over links and retweets.
How many times have you seen real-world friends savage each other because of comments posted online? Old friends "fact-checking" and insulting each other over jokes? People hounded off social media by real-world friends or blocking people they've known since high school?
There used to be sci-fi stories about how civil society would be impossible if everyone was forced to tell the truth, or could read each other's minds, because restraint and polite fiction are vital for maintaining harmony and goodwill. Social media is proving that's true. /end
