Keyboard warriors and the reverse Voltaire

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  • 17/06/2021

    Keyboard warriors and the reverse Voltaire

    We are living through a time of online outrage and increasing irrationalism, and the combination has not been a happy one for public discussion. Generally, shallow emotion seems to be in the driving seat for many keyboard warriors: not the slow burn of genuine anger that fuels the prolonged, difficult pursuit of a worthwhile goal, but rather a feel-good performative outrage whose main expression is typing furious snark onto a computer screen before switching over to Netflix. [emphasis added]

    Material Girls, by Kathleen Stock.

    And applicable to a lot more than the topic of her excellent book. Sometimes, it takes a philosopher to spell out exactly what people are saying. She also introduced me to the reverse Voltaire from Mary Leng

    I agree with what you have to say, but will fight to the death to prevent you from saying it.