On Twitter you can apparently now hide replies to your tweets, not just from your own, sensitive self, but from all other Twitter users too. Other readers have to click on a tiny little icon in the corner to see the hidden replies. If you post something stupid, you can hide all of the dissenting comments from those less able to detect your stupidity.
One of the great things about social media is the exposure it gives us to viewpoints outside of our meatspace social circle.
One of the terrible things about social media is the echo chamber it creates by filtering out everything "they" think we might not like. It gives us the illusion that everyone around us agrees with our fringe opinions, thereby reinforcing our biases and errors.
Peer pressure isn't always a bad thing. Bullying is just the pathological extreme of a normal and healthy process that helps keep our wackiest tendencies in check. Contrary opinions, especially a contrary *majority*, are good for us. We need them in order to stay sane and sociable.
Social media platforms (all of them, as far as I can tell) are hell bent on destroying the social controls that keep us from murdering or enslaving our neighbors on the flimsiest of justifications.
Welcome to the world of Bernie and Trump.
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