I always thought that the open ability to perform damaging speech against institutions and public figures in the west was “cool” — a major distinguishing factor between free countries and non-free ones. But I was also always a little skeptical of that ability. It seemed ok in small doses, just to prove we can do it.

Now we’re grappling with the full import of nonstop destructive speech coming from all sides and being amplified and mass-distributed. Nonstop shit talking and denigrating of our systems is what’s causing this drastic loss of confidence in them. Any imperfection will be amplified to where it looks like a total failure.