Many years ago, I took a stab at reading YouTube comments, and was astonished at the level of abject stupidity. I kept sampling some for a period of time, and concluded that is the state of affairs there, and that people deliberately go out of their way to vie for the most inane and idiotic post in the comment section.
I found reading those comments to be utterly discouraging and corrosive to my view of people in general. I have often wondered if that feeling was akin to those developed by police who have to deal with the seamy side of humanity each and every day.
For me, comments on YouTube are the measuring stick about what is bad about allowing people unfettered outlet for their thoughts.
You would have hated Usenet. It was unmonitored and uncensored. For people who’d like to speak their minds without worrying about being banned, Usenet was great.
The alt.clinton.whitewater forum was a player in the Whitewater scandal’s unfolding. It was a wonderful time.
But not for the thin-skinned or faint-hearted, for sure.