For Once, I Wasn't Sorry I Clicked on the Link
Sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me and I’m unable to ignore the social media notifications popping up on my phone. I often regret peering into a cesspool of zero civility where lying is de rigueur and cruelty is a competition that launches me into a despair that borders on rage. Even on "friendly" neighborhood apps, the local resident who hops on wondering about the smell of smoke is berated for being an idiot who doesn’t have Watch Duty, the app which notifies us of nearby fires. And God forbid someone asks about a big, loud boom but – horrors! – hasn’t checked the SpaceX page for the latest launch schedule. Ditto for those who can’t differentiate gunshots from fireworks when they wake us in the middle of the night. Then there are porch pirates making off with Amazon boxes, occasional car break-ins, and flocks of youth terrorizing the streets on motorized bikes, which brings into question the fitness of their parents. Perhaps the stars aligned, or the wind cha...