There’s nothing wrong with criticism or calling out bad behavior. However, shouting “ACAB” in a thread about police violence, making jokes about beheading rich people, or throwing “muskrat” comments in discussions about Elon Musk, just to name a few examples, makes you an asshole and part of the reason why social media is so incredibly toxic.
If you’re doing that while also explaining why you feel that way, then it’s still not the best approach, but at least you’re contributing to the conversation instead of just making noise. Throwing out insults without adding substance doesn’t challenge anyone or encourage meaningful discussion; it just perpetuates the toxic environment that so many of us complain about.
Some of us are tired of watching gangs (ACAB), Nazis (Musk, Republicans), and other billionaires kill people or use their power to ruin people’s lives for personal gain. I don’t just say ACAB to be edgy or insulting. I truly mean it with the police force in its current state. Switching names like calling Musk, Mush is a bit too juvenile for me and is just there to be insulting. Sometimes someone will strike gold and I’ll chuckle, but for the most part I think it draws from any actual point trying to be made. The more often something like ACAB is thrown out, the more people are going to see it, and it will effect some people, so it’s not just wasted comments.