Was Trump’s victory hidden in the comments section?
The emphatic nature of Donald Trump’s victory in last week's US election surprised many in my echo chamber. But was the result hidden in plain sight all along? And what other truths can we glean from these digital dustbins?
By Ben Jhoty
“HE’S GOING TO lose big, isn’t he?” This question/hopeful statement was posted by a friend on Facebook earlier this week. I had a few immediate thoughts: don’t tempt fate. You’re going to look silly tomorrow if Trump wins. It’s going to be close. I actually think Trump might have this.
Of course, I didn’t write any of this. But others jumped in, cautioning our friend against his optimism – yes, we are all likeminded souls operating within the safety of our echo chamber.
I’ve felt similar impulses to contribute to online debate on news sites throughout the course of these last few momentous weeks. Instead, I watched as the US election played out and forums filled with commentary that ran the gauntlet from dismay to triumphalism. All the while, from the safety of the sidelines, I sat there with my metaphorical box of popcorn, and headed straight to the comments.
This is because cruising comment sections is a fun, passive form of engagement, allowing you to watch digital dirt fly while keeping your own hands clean. And it’s a place I’ve largely been happy to reside until this week, when I felt an itch in my fingertips and impulse to join the fray.
Perhaps that’s because the US election saw even more action in the digital trenches than usual. This isn’t surprising given the contest to decide the leader of the free world is the most important political, social and even cultural event of the year, let alone the last four. Indeed, the implications of Donald Trump’s emphatic victory are likely to reverberate across the globe for years to come.
What I observed in comment threads these past few weeks has been interesting, and, in hindsight, illuminating, particularly in the contrast between pre- and post-election commentary. As a consumer of mainstream media – which many on the right would label ‘woke leftist propaganda’ – the mood in the comments leading up to the election was largely one of apprehension, the prospect of a Trump victory too ghastly to contemplate. There was much talk that a victory for the former real estate mogul-turned reality TV star–cum-convicted felon would see America, and the world, enter a dark chapter in its history, some even presaging Armageddon.
Similarly, in the aftermath of Trump’s decisive victory, there have been plenty of comments about the impending doom that will follow over the next four years. One thing I didn’t anticipate, though perhaps should have foreseen, was the large number of suddenly vocal Trump supporters jumping into comment threads, many castigating the doom and gloom espoused in opinion pieces and lighting up fellow commenters. In the glow of victory, many of these commenters had a field day calling out coastal elites, celebrities and the mainstream media, who, they said, are out of touch with the concerns of the working class.
Who were these suddenly very visible commenters? Were they people who’d previously kept silent on threads on mainstream media outlets, but in the wake of victory felt emboldened to voice their opinion? Were they perhaps, a silent majority, similar to the ‘quiet Australians’ to whom Scott Morrison attributed his 2019 election victory here in Australia? Or were they true right-wing ideologues popping onto ‘lefty’ media forums to gloat?
That it’s difficult to know speaks to the nature, and for many, the appeal of comment threads: the anonymity they afford users. For despite the force of the rhetoric on display at times, these people are not ‘outing themselves’ or revealing their political beliefs in any tangible way. IRL they’re likely to remain silent and unknowable. You’ll probably pass them on the street or hoist dumbbells next to them at the gym. They’re still operating under the safety net of anonymity, a shield that forms the basis of the pejorative term, ‘keyboard warrior’.
Like many of us, I suspect, I’ve long regarded threads and those who contribute to them with a mixture of contempt and amusement – while being unable to look away. And while it is easy to write these forums off as digital dungeons or toxic sinkholes, the fact is, they have helped to democratise opinion.
I will even go as far as to say that on reputable news sites, there is, amid all the trolling, baiting, rhetoric and vitriol, some real insight to be found. Reasonably often, an informed commenter will expand on a columnist’s argument or offer a nuanced counterargument. These contributions, I feel, add value to the original piece. This, in turn, allows you, the consumer, to synthesise a range of opinions and sometimes to arrive at a more considered position than you otherwise might have.
At the same time, as something of a voyeur, I also admit to enjoying the humour that can be found in these forums when things get out of hand – the withering put downs, strategic use of emojis, as well as each combatant’s desperate attempts to demonstrate how little the exchange bothers them, even as they continue to KEEP TYPING!
All this is to say, lately I’ve been wondering if I should I put the popcorn down, roll up my sleeves, do some warm-up finger stretching and start crushing keys on my laptop. In an increasingly online world, digital discourse is the new town square, right? By cowering on the sidelines, am I marginalising myself? If I feel aggravated by some edgelord’s inflammatory rant, instead of quietly seething, could I not put forward a considered counter argument? Perhaps my insight can offer others a fresh perspective. And besides, surely I’m mature and secure enough to wear a few digital uppercuts and eat a few rhetorical knuckle sandwiches? What am I so afraid of?
Well, there are a few things. For one, I don’t want to get into an ALL-CAPS flame war with a kid sitting in a basement in Fresno, over whether Jordan is better than LeBron, for example. That would undoubtedly be a waste of time.
I also worry that I might find a dismissive one-word reply to my carefully considered 500-word argument infuriating. I guess I just don’t trust myself not to get into an unedifying digital scrap. This is a legitimate fear, one that brings to mind NBA star Kevin Durant, who famously can’t resist biting on comments from random trolls on X. But while I used to shake my head and wonder why KD would engage with mischievous teenagers who are often baiting him for sport, I increasingly admire his commitment to the truth and willingness to fight for it.
So, while comment threads might be digital dustbins, I do believe there is treasure to be found amid all the trash and, other than time, (a precious resource, I admit,) not a lot to lose from diving in. Because unlike other forms of anonymous expression, like say, casting a vote, on a comment thread, your opinion doesn’t really matter.
Related:
