One little empathy builder I do from time to time (& just did now, before bed):
Go to one of the hellsites and find an account for a person who fiercely holds a view that doesn't match yours.
Scroll through their content. Try not to get caught up in how much you disagree with it. Pay attention to reposts especially.
Think instead about what it must be like to be inundated by similar content all the time. How it might change a person.
Then look away.
Turn it off.
And be thankful that you can.
@MLClark
It makes sense but so hard for some people (myself included) to not go down the rabbit hole. I just can't imagine being inundated with that much hate
I don't recommend it as an "everyday" activity! 🫂 And it really helps to go in with intention (and maybe even a timer), instead of tripping into an account by accident.
But I also find that the exercise helps me *not* go down rabbit holes otherwise. Now, when I see really upsetting accounts elsewhere, I can remember deep diving into their like, and the energy they're putting off no longer requires deeper investment to understand. So, it saves me from doomscrolling in the long run.