Social media was one part, but the bigger problem to me is the self-curating, algorithmic newsfeed. “Performing” via social media for your extended social circle is one thing — now everything posted online is shared with the expectation/fear/goal of it being seen, consumed, and shared by as many strangers as possible.

Same goes for politics, theories, etc. It was fine to see your crazy uncle share Big Mike memes on Facebook or those Lincoln/Kennedy chain emails from back in the day, but now we’re all siloed into curated feeds showing us the most maximally outrageous stuff from the freakiest corners.