John Marcher, from Henry James’ novella The Beast in the Jungle, being on the edge of his seat his entire life, waiting for disaster to strike, is a poignant metaphor for the self-righteous, always politically correct Moral Twitter Police (MTP) that we see today in the year two thousand and eighteen. The rampant moral policing started over at Tumblr dot com but has quickly spread to other social media platforms. Twitter has been affected particularly severely.
Make one (1) mistake, and the MTP will hunt you down. They will strip you bare and attack your flesh like vultures swooping down upon a carcass. You’re dead meat. How dare you make a mistake? How dare you be politically incorrect? How dare you express opinions outside of the canon of politically correct opinions fiercely gate-kept by the MTP?
Knock knock. Who’s there? VIRTUAL CRUCIFICATION.
But the existence of the MTP is a tragic one. On one hand, no matter the degree of justification, Twitter crucification can be cruel and painful. Sometimes you see your faves getting dragged (for miles) and it hurts. Our computer screens can conduct negativity, you know. It’s science. On the other hand, the fact that the MTP exists, and is allowed to exist, is a democratic sign. Freedom of speech has never been more global, more accessible, more free. Twitter is literally a free platform that serves as a battleground for opinions.
There is no way to determine when, if ever, the MTP will cease their shenanigans. Should they? Does anyone want to sign up for the Morally Ambiguous Twitter Police? (I’m joking. It already exists. And for my next blog post…)
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