[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Pairadocs

I suspect you have some background in psychology. You hit EVERY important point, especially the subtle ways the minds of people can be manipulated (as your example of maskers, no maskers, democrat, republican) and slowly but surely they are controlled (herded is a great common term) toward one psychological mind set or another. The really insidious part of the on screen social media addiction is that the anonymity itself REINFORCES the participants and yes, personalities can be changed and since posting is a one way communication (even when someone comes slamming back in reproach) it is still a very different process than face to face conversations which can add infinitely to one's own knowledge, but also gives you the opportunity to consider other people's opinions, expertise, knowledge; face to face input keeps the mind more "flexible", and the personality (ego, subconscious) in check, more sociable, and more open to learning !

I agree with all the content in this post - very well written and informative! Myself, I have taken and enjoyed, probably more psychology and sociology courses that the average. It builds a good base of thought to take into other classes.