Monday, January 18, 2021

Keyboard Warriors

I have been answering questions on Quora for over five years on topics as diverse as Physics, World History, Religion, Teaching, Fatherhood, Covid, Soccer, Politics and Philosophy. All in all it has been a very enjoyable experience and one day I hope to compile my best answers into an anthology for publication.

However even after some time on this site it still astounds me as to how rude people can be in the comment sections when they disagree with you. Many think nothing of going full Ad Hominem despite the fact that said attacks are often removed by Quora's BNBR (Be Nice Be Respectable bots). I personally don't care one way or the other.
Some of it is laughable. Comical in fact. The other day I answered a question on Scientific Objectivity and was attacked personally by somebody who didn't agree with my take on the famed Michelson-Morley Experiment.
The irony of his words in relation to the question were clearly lost on him but I couldn't help but reflect on how the Internet seems to embolden so many to act in a way that they would likely not do should they encounter you on a face-to-face basis. We have selected for Homo keyboard-warrior a sub-species of humanity.

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