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Interesting thread about the uses and misuses of "Twitter mobs."
Here's a thread on "the mob" during the era of the American Revolution where I tried to think through the connections between the crowd actions of the 1770s and the "Twitter mobs" of today.
tl;dr...like @chrislhayes, I think Twitter outrage mobs can at times serve a useful function by registering what sorts of statements and beliefs a community deems out of bounds, like Tucker's outrageous racism regarding Iraqis (which squares with much of the content on his show).
@chrislhayes Holding public figures like Tucker to account for public statements is what historical change looks like. Nothing stops Tucker from saying "Wow, those were horrifying things that I said and I sincerely apologize for them." Note that this has not been the approach.
@chrislhayes If you've said something in the past that you now regret, just say so. If you stand by it, then explain why & let the public assess your account. Times change, community standards evolve. How hard is it to say "I'm sorry" and "I now no longer believe those stupid things I said?"
