Who Pulled the Trigger?

In politics, personal insults are usually dismissed as inappropriate ad hominem attacks. On Twitter, they’re anything but.

The #TriggerALiberalIn4Words hashtag, in which users list facts or ideas that they believe will “trigger” a liberal in under four words, took over the Twittersphere for a brief moment of unrestrained mudslinging and angry rebuttals.

Tweets demonstrated a surprisingly large range of content, encapsulating everything from simple facts to philosophical beliefs, partisan politics, and personal values. Users often added memes or pictures to support their point.

Liberal Twitter users soon got wind of this movement, and launched a counter-attack aptly titled #TriggerAConservativeIn4Words. Many discussed the ineffectiveness of the original hashtag, relating it to conservative tactics they perceived as simimlar.

Users quickly noted the larger implications of the movement and what it revealed about both parties. Some used it to further their position…

… while others took a non-partisan position and pointed out the problems with the hashtag’s phrasing and language.

So: who won?

One thought on “Who Pulled the Trigger?

  1. I believe that taking a non-partisan position and eliminating the word “Trigger” altogether is important in taking a step towards common ground and productive conversation/discussions on social media channels, especially Twitter. I feel that back and forth hashtags like these make Twitter known as a platform used to rant and rave rather than conduct meaningful dialogue. Great post!

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