People have outsized reactions because they don’t think anyone notices a rational one.- Brett Terpstra
Following people on social media that are aggressive about blocking bullies has enabled me to improve how I choose to interact with people. I follow a select number of minor celebrities on social media of varying histories both trying to combat and activate the illusory truth effect (where hearing something repeatedly makes you believe it). Many of the people I follow are minorities who receive the worst of the internet and are aggressive about blocking people that badger them in any way.
I want to interact with them by sending quips, jokes, and other positive things their way and because I know they block so aggressively it makes me think very hard before I hit that send button if what I'm saying is 100% funny without any hint of being sarcastic, mean, unkind, etc. There have been so many times I’ve thought, “this is really funny, but there is just a bit of edge to it that could be misconstrued so I better not reply.” This exposure is making me more thoughtful about what I'm saying, who I'm saying it to, and who else is involved in the conversation that might also see it.
So yeah, every time I make a funny comment to one of these people and I get a “like” or reply back I give myself a personal high five. That is how the internet should be and that is why they are here!