> are these people even real? Do they live somewhere I'm just unfamiliar with? Or did the internet give them some loud voice that otherwise doesn't exist in person?
Yes. Most, but not all, of these "loud" influencers are real. Social media has become their platform to voice their opinions extremely loudly. And it has given them a reach that wasn't possible before. One public tweet on Twitter is instantly available to all the users and "lurkers". The algorithm pushes it based on engagement and it propagates through the filter bubble it "fits" in. Now they know that there are others who agree with them, but the only way to reach them is through social media. So most of them just keep their opinion online.
> Why are these voices the loudest - does controversy really sell this well? Is social media purposefully putting controversial things on the forefront because it increases engagement?
Yes. The main goal of Big Social (is that even a real term?) is to increase engagement and then sell ads. Fixing this "most engaged content goes to the top" approach will cut into their profits which will spook investors.
P.S This is my first comment outside of my own post (yes, only one post). I am a lurker
But then my company started encouraging you to put your “preferred pronouns” in your email signature.
Then suddenly it dawned on me those 1% reflect the beliefs of the leadership of my Fortune 100 company.
The higher positions are still occupied by the jocks, who watch the whole theater with great amusement and joke about useful idiots (I have contact with a few of them).
That is the current contradiction. My bet is that neither the meatspace social construct nor the digital social construct wins. The resolution is in their synthesis. That probably means that some meatspace social norms change and some digital social norms change. Finally, any resistance to those changes in inherently reactionary.
As online communities, emboldened really by tech companies themselves, try to gain control by silencing dissent via mob behavior or 'canceling', I just find myself leaving. And in doing so make both myself and presumably the community happier for it. Take a walk in the park, or go sit on the beach a while. Make small talk with people walking by. In doing all this, I realize I never meet or see the type people who are so 'in control' and loud and/or threatening online. Most people seem friendly enough in person.
So my questions become - are these people even real? Do they live somewhere I'm just unfamiliar with? Or did the internet give them some loud voice that otherwise doesn't exist in person? Why are these voices the loudest - does controversy really sell this well? Is social media purposefully putting controversial things on the forefront because it increases engagement?
Not actually expecting answers, just rambling really - apologies.