How to Correctly Argue on Twitter
One online argument or feud that has always stuck with me was when Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj had an argument over Twitter. (this is unbiased, I'm not a fan nor do I listen to their music) This occurred in 2015 when Swift sent an emotionally charged jab at Minaj after misreading the tweet she assumed was aimed at her. This was after the MTV Awards where both artists were up against each other for Song of the Year. After Swift took home the award, Minaj made tweets saying, "If I was a different "kind" of artist, Anaconda would be nominated for best choreo and vid of the year as well." and "If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year." These are absolutely inflammatory tweets, and this led Swift to respond (below) with a tweet of her own, calling her out for 'pitting' women together and implying that Minaj should be blaming one of the male artists for taking her award.
Tweet:
@NICKIMINAJ I've done nothing but love & support you. It's unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot..
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) July 21, 2015
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are many concerns that I have with this argument, but here are the main three.
1. Jumping to conclusions
2. Tweeting targeted messages purposefully for drama
3. Reacting before thinking.
Neither side of this argument is correct, as they both reacted poorly on topics that weren't directed at each other. Nicki started by making tweets that seemed targeted specifically towards a specific slim blond singer. This then resulted in Swift reading them as attacks on her, and responding emotionally to tweets that only alluded to her likeness.
Here are five rules that I think would assist in arguing online...
1. Stop and think about the context
2. Assess whether the topic is something you should weigh in on
3. Be fair, open-minded, and understanding
4. Argue with reason, evidence, and common sense
5. Know when to stop
These are steps that I feel are common sense when it comes to conversing or arguing online, but many people, even celebrities seem to miss it. By taking the time to assess what arguments are important to you, and what you should have an opinion on, it will make yours, and everyone else's lives easier. Then, if you decide to engage, being calm, open-minded, and understanding will aid in keeping the argument neutral and void of emotional rampage. Lastly, I believe that knowing when to stop, or when you've lost is essential, as straining your argument will only lead to tension and anger.
Comments
Post a Comment