What I’ve learned over time is that it brings out the worst in us, because unlike a live meeting, where there is a danger that you may be ostracized or beaten up, online people have a much less controlled environment for speech.

And since the user isn’t forced to pass a driving exam for how to behave and different communities have different rules, values and objectives, it is easy to feel a contrast without traveling very far, which triggers polarization rather than an instinct to adapt and grow.