A friend asked what lessons I'd learned after spending two years off Twitter & away from politics.

Here are a few from my older, wiser, post-covid self.

These are just one guy's take-aways after some observing and soul-searching. Take them as you will.

1. Most people are nice. And normal. Most have common sense. There may not be a political constituency for the common sense middle, but this is where most people are. Twitter algos warp us so bad we lose sight of this. Sometimes we need to leave our echo chambers to see this.

2. No, the sky isn't falling. Returning to Twitter, I am struck by how much catastrophizing there is on all sides. From AMERICAN DEMOCRACY IS UNDER ATTACK to WOKE GLOBALISTS ARE TAKING OVER THE WORLD. I get it, the drama works. It creates urgency. But it is usually overstated.

The problem with catastrophizing is that it creates a sort of wartime logic. "We are in a WAR for ___ and you better pick a side and win by any means necessary." I see this logic a lot on this hellsite & in our politics. It often leads to moral compromise & bad decisions.

3. Social media controls us more than we realize. I used to think Twitter enhanced my independent critical thinking. Now I view it as a cesspool of weird social & psychic pressures. It activates this performative, dopamine-driven part of our brains. Staying away can be freeing.