Photo: Fizkes (Shutterstock)
Public figures, corporations, and everyday people often have a habit of prolonging the controversy they lead in court. It’s not enough to put out a fire with an apology or delete an account. Instead, we tend to dive headlong into the vortex and try to climb out with more combative tweets or comments.
Of course, I’m talking about the concept of “tweeting,” which follows a nearly identical playbook when it occurs: say something stupid, get a backlash, divert the blame from that backlash by criticizing everyone else who came up with the Point fingers at you and implode spectacularly and embarrassingly.
How does it look like?
For a current example, check out recent tweets from e-commerce giant Amazon Arguing with politicians on Twitter all week. In particular, the company has deployed the type of snark that is characteristic of major brands on the platform, albeit in relation to allegations of appalling working conditions at one of its fulfillment centers.
Amazon is clearly upset with this week’s flak, and has continued to lock horns with officials on separate subjects, with even CEO Dave Clark interferes. It was a monumental tweeting exercise deployed by a corporate monolith that could probably have slipped the pile into the internet’s empty memory if only he had just kept his mouth shut.
There are many other examples – both prominent and humble – who have walked this dangerous, predictable, and fun path. There is Elon Musk, former President Trumpwho have favourited journalists Glenn Greenwald and Allison novel, in addition to short-lived bad guys like Bean dad and Cheese Wife Guy.
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Since this is a faux pas that anyone can commit regardless of their online platforms, it’s worth checking out what you could do instead of tweeting it in a catastrophic way.
What should be done instead?
Perhaps instinct to retreat from a spectacular fall right away is instinct, but it rarely works. Make a serious mistake on social media – be it falsely accusing someone who is a pedophile or publication perform tweets– and the inevitable fallout has become its own cultural canon by this point, with at least one New York Times bestseller dedicated to the topic.
We should now know how the dynamic works, and how to tackle it: Completely delete your app or account instead of defending yourself from a bunch of strangers on the internet. Decompress and indulge in the serenity of existing in the organic, physical world where people thousands of miles away do not direct their anger at your transgressions. You can breathe fresh air and perhaps approach the situation with clearer eyes. From there, you can begin to erase your name, atone for the dumpster set on fire, or continue to ignore it altogether.
Think about the situation from other people’s perspective
Perhaps hubris is the driving force behind everyone who tweets about it. When you go on a social media offensive to defend your actions, you are likely only thinking of yourself – and that way you will not win an argument.
You clearly offended someone, and now you might be wondering why. Once you look at the details of your actions and the reaction they are getting, you will find that doubling down is not very productive.
Consider the merits of a proper apology
People who tweet about it often do a U-turn and gather some sort of simpering mea culpa. I frame these excuses as such because it is possible in your apology to use a defense mechanism that holds your enemies, not yourself, accountable.
In general, never say “I’m sorry if people have been offended” or “I’m sorry if your feelings have been hurt.” This will only lead to more outrage as it will affect the situation through your response to your words or actions and not your actions. Remember, apologizing is an act of catharsis and shows personal growth, or at least the initiative to learn.
If you’ve really stirred up the waters and caused a tidal wave of retribution, write the apology on a Word document or on an online publisher like Medium and let the world know. Pensively study the substance of the holds that are directed at you and do your best to redeem yourself. Ultimately, this is far more lovable than firing angry and incredulous tweets at your critics, which, as we now well know, never works.