Political Feuds Are Increasingly Out In The Open Thanks To Social Media

Forbes Innovation Social Media Political Feuds Are Increasingly Out In The Open Thanks To Social Media Peter Suciu Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Following Feb 9, 2023, 03:51pm EST | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin (Original Caption) Row between Federalist Roger Griswold and Republican Matthew Lyon in Congress, . .

. [+] February 15, 1789. Woodcut, 1807.

Caricature and Comic Art. BPA2# 5176 Bettmann Archive Vicious feuds aren’t exactly new in American politics. There was a severe rift between Founding Fathers John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who went from great friends to bitter rivals, before renewing their friendship later in life.

Likewise, bad blood between John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson simmered for years. Then of course there is the famous feud between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, which led to the duel that saw Hamilton killed. Today, it is unlikely that we’ll see a duel between U.

S. lawmakers, but it is also unlikely some will ever be close friends. What is notable is that throughout much of American history, these feuds weren’t widely known.

Politicians were able to smile, look the other way and get down to the business of lawmaking. Public Attacks In the era of social media, lawmakers have increasingly attacked one another publicly. This is notable in recent exchanges on Twitter between Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, and Republican Congressman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

The two, who don’t apparently speak face-to-face, often engage with one another via social media. These are also far from the only two U. S.

lawmakers to be so openly confrontational with one another. “Social media and politics are often in sync because they both seek engagement and attention,” said Dr. Julianna Kirschner, lecturer for the Master of Communication Management program at the University of Southern California .

MORE FOR YOU The Inside Story Of Papa John’s Toxic Culture LocalBitcoins Matching Exchange, Cited By U. S. In Bizlato Case, To Close After 10 Years Of Operation The Best Sleep Sacks To Keep Little Ones Cozy At Night “Politicians have been using social media platforms for years to share their ideologies,” explained Kirschner.

“However, content that gains traction on social media tends to be those that come from users with celebrity status that have an existing following, which includes politicians. Another reason why some content gains so much attention is due to the tone and framing, especially if inflammatory and hateful rhetoric is used. ” Name Calling And Worse Though at its core are political and ideological differences, it would seem based on what the lawmakers often tweet towards one another, there is a general dislike personally.

In many cases, it results in insults and worse. We would expect our lawmakers to be professional – but at times, they’re anything but, especially when they make the attacks so personal in nature. “Name calling is relatively new.

It seemed to have started with some ultra-reactionary republicans yelling at President Obama,” suggested David Jacobson, professor of global business strategy at SMU’s Cox School of Business. “It is never pleasant to see people spat in public,” added James Bailey, professor of leadership at the George Washington University School of Business . “Airing grievances can be a healthy thing, to be sure – but when disputants act out in public they’re being both childish and selfish.

” When publicly displayed, even on social media, it’s no longer an argument, it’s argumentative people who can’t help but express how their own opinions are superior to another’s. “Apparently today’s politicians have no impulse control or delay of gratification to hold their grievances for the right moment, like in Congress or Senate floors,” Bailey noted. “Even my eight-year-old knows not to bring up his gripes at the dinner table.

” Bad For Democracy This open disdain is not the least bit helpful or our democracy, as it focuses on attacking a person instead of their ideas. “The ancient rhetoricians considered attacks on the person rather than their ideas to be one of the most anti-democratic things a speaker could do,” said Kirschner. “Nothing of importance is advanced when personal attacks are the norm.

In the current climate, the old adage of disagreeing without being disagreeable has been flipped on its head. Rather, the performance of disagreeability, or arguing for argument’s sake, has been prioritized. ” What makes it even worse in the social media era is that misinformation can come into play to make a point.

These half-truths and outright lies can be amplified as social media has become such an echo chamber. “While defending oneself, responses to personal attacks could unintentionally result in an over-amplification of the original fallacious content,” Kirschner continued. “Users that are not aware of the cause for such a response might seek out the original post, which can draw more engagement.

” In many cases, this behavior is simply about playing to their respective bases, but as Kirschner further noted, some politicians speak loudly and back up their assertions with verifiable facts. Other politicians simply speak loudly and performatively argue without actually saying anything at all. It isn’t likely to change minds or even result in a meaningful dialog.

“It’s just massaging the feet of their constituents,” said Bailey. “This is just a damn sorry state of affairs. I’m tempted to form a PAC that supports the campaigns of politicians who don’t employ social media.

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