Creating echo chambers is bad
I tried posting on unpopular opinions but it got removed instantly lmao. echo chambers are bad. Full stop. No matter how much moral high ground you think you have.
For context, the mods on /r/comics made a post saying:
“Trans women belong in women’s sports. Anybody who says otherwise will receive a permanent ban with no option to appeal.”
They then edited the post to say they had banned 1,300 people that day, followed by another edit saying, “Make that 1700.”
I agree with the mods’ underlying message that trans women belong in sports and people shouldn’t be using a community to attack or demean others. But I think the way they chose to enforce it is terrible.
Banning huge numbers of people simply for expressing an opposing opinion doesn’t actually change anyone’s mind. If anything, it reinforces the exact beliefs you’re trying to push back against.
I actually got banned for replying to the mod “Me when I create echo chambers”, which is pretty ironic considering the point I was making. Apparently disagreeing with the moderation strategy was enough to get me lumped in with transphobes.
And obviously, actual bigots and transphobes are going to see something like this and have their beliefs reinforced. Their takeaway is going to be, “See? They won’t even let me say what I believe because they’re afraid of opposing opinions.”
You don’t fight an echo chamber by making the echo chamber smaller and louder. You fight it by allowing people to disagree, challenging bad arguments, and moderating actual harassment or abuse when it crosses that line.
I agree with the message. I just think the execution is terrible.