I agree. The algorithms were designed to increase engagement. As often happens, I don’t think this was done with bad intentions, but it had bad consequences because the thought is incomplete. The easiest way to get people to engage is to get them angry. This is true here like it is anywhere. I can post something a little rage-baity, and it will get more responses. Unfortunately, the algorithms didn’t take that into account. And it’s hard to undo something making the stockholders millions once it’s done.

I do believe it was intentionally done as such. Behaviorism is not only for the laboratory. It is applied to condition people in work environment as much as general consumption, be it for products or services. Manipulating online reactions is part of their game.

Some people I know on Bitcoin twitter are into bitcoin because they feel it fills the void in their hearts, or fixes their characters. It gives them something they can act tough about.

Tht is really something we would not want anywhere. They may think the less people around them the better for their profits.

I think online community should always give way to in-person community. If that is one's metric, then it's easier to disconnect and go hang out with IRL friends instead of getting angry at some rando on the internet. That's why the joke is "touch grass." People are a lot more balanced when they have IRL community and do normal things everyday beyond just being online all the time.

We usually build a nice community when we see the same values in others. We might even go from online to offline, perhaps?