I try to stay off social media. When I do get on forums – I tend to stick to programming forums that don’t have the political vomit. I do, grudgingly, sometimes catch up on local forums to see if there are any cool shows – and ran across this great comment that summed up how I feel about an a growing portion of Reddit.

More and more subreddits are increasingly just becoming the worst of echo chambers. Members openly mock, insult, gaslight, and psychologically attack those who post things not onboard with the accepted political and social views of that subreddit. Contrary evidence and data is downvoted and ignored. More forums are just outright banning people who post things against a political stance. In short, it’s now a walled enclave of double-plus good thought. Even on forums as left-leaning as the local Portland forum. One member complained thusly:

So I’ve been complaining about issues at a corner store in my neighborhood for over three years and PPB FINALLY BUSTED THE OWNER ON SEVERAL NARCOTICS AND FIREARM CHARGES.

I should feel vindicated but quite frankly I’m just angry about how many people tried to gaslight, insult, or victim blame me for things that I and immediate neighbors of the store were onto.

Reddit is nigh on the verge of collapse and no longer the helpful resource it once was. Most of it’s communities are now servants to their rules instead of real human members who aren’t just spewing slop.

Links:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/1j7x24j/dear_portland_march_10_2025_weekly_rant_thread/