I want to repeat that I’m denouncing people encouraging personal attacks in Internet discussions with ratings, or by responding to them in any way, even If it’s to denounce them, as much as I’m denouncing personal attacks. I’m talking about when people know that it’s a personal attack, but they reward it with a rating or approving comment anyway, for example maybe because it’s entertaining or against someone they see as an adversary. I’m talking about when people know that a counterattack will give the person more of a platform and more reasons to continue, but they do it anyway, maybe for example for their own gratification or for other people’s entertainment. I denounce that behavior as morally wrong, inexcusable, harmful, and part of what’s helping to perpetuate all kinds of cruelty, violence and oppression, online and offline, as much as any of the other behavior that I’m denouncing. I think that no matter what excuses people use for personal attacks, most or all of the personal attacks will stop when they stop getting attention, friendly or hostile, from others.
i see no excuse for anyone to continue encouraging those behaviors in those ways. If a person has any doubt about whether a post they like or don’t like is a personal attack or not, they can just leave it alone, and look for some other post to like or to disagree with.