In the wake of the shootings in Pittsburg over the weekend, I popped over to Twitter last night.
Hoo boy. The tone of hysteria and hopelessness layered over the (quite justified) fear and anxiety was a lot to take in and emotionally process. It was overloading, and I had to quit after just a couple minutes. And a lot of it felt performative. Endless RTs and yelling and the clutching of pearls overpowered the posts of grief, selflessness, and determined anger in my timeline.
I really appreciate the tone of political discussion on Mastodon, and Twitter last night threw why into sharp relief. People on Masto are sharing their experiences and opinions sincerely. They’re ready to hit the streets (if able) to help. And they’re willing to change or even tear down the system, and have a plan to improve it after it’s done. Mastodon users support each other as individuals far more often (in my experience). And all of that gives me hope in a way Twitter never does.
I know these same things happen on Twitter, but I can see it on Mastodon in a way I can’t over there. It’s what makes Mastodon special to me in a way Twitter has lost over the years. And I appreciate that very much.
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