Discover more from Free Thinking Through the Fourth Turning with Sasha Stone
I have a lot of enemies online. They are mostly people who don’t know me. And in all honestly, they come from the left - even while pretending they care about AOC’s speech — and from Film Twitter (the worst abuse I’ve ever suffered online has come from there - don’t believe the hype about them supporting outspoken women - they do not, as a rule, though many do).
Although I’m a Democrat, I am worried about how things have been headed lately, but especially with the way people on our side bully and are bullied for speaking their minds. This Substack is, for me, a place to write about various things I think about and worry about. I don’t think as part of a hive mind and that has served me well in the some 25 years online but as we head more towards conformity and away from original thought, I have made myself a target by saying what I actually think, instead of saying what I am supposed to say. But this place is not an invitation for others to drag the hideousness dehumanization from Twitter here.
Occasionally people who do know me can slip into verbal abuse. I get it that with words tapped out on a screen that is your only weapon. You can disagree with me as long as you do it without slipping into verbal abuse. I don’t tolerate it in real life and I don’t tolerate it online.
If you are on the left and you spent all day yesterday high-fiving AOC and then you call me a “moron” (happened yesterday), or an “imbecile” (today) then you are a hypocrite. Either you stand up against verbal abuse or you don’t. If you are for it, then stop RTing AOC.
I will delete and ban anyone who hurls verbal abuse at me or anyone else here. I am hoping to keep this free but if the abuse continues I will have to put it behind a paywall because no one will pay to be a jerk. At least I don’t think they will. I guess you never know.
Stay safe out there.
If You Came Here from Twitter
You and I are are politically very different - not polar opposites, but probably closer to that than to agreeing. That said, your willingness to stand up against your own is admirably courageous. It is never easy to stand against the crowd you've chosen - no human being likes doing so. While I don't agree with most of your policy positions, your overarching commitment to free speech and to decency in online interactions - simply being kind to one another - is heartening, and I find myself smiling whenever one of your posts lands in my in-box. Hang in there!