海角大神

鈥淧eople who judge me based off one expression.... They鈥檝e gone from there to 鈥� labeling me as a racist person, someone that鈥檚 disrespectful to adults 鈥� which, they鈥檝e had to assume so many things to get there, without consulting anyone that can give them the opposite story.鈥�
听
That was Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann, speaking on NBC鈥檚 鈥淭oday鈥� about the听听that showed him in a discomforting face off with a chanting Native American elder in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Over the weekend, critics rushed to condemn Mr. Sandmann鈥檚听鈥渟mirk鈥澨齛nd other actions by his teenage classmates, who had traveled from Kentucky to Washington for an anti-abortion march.
听
But then,听听of the encounter emerged 鈥� showing a more complicated scene, involving other, more antagonistic-seeming protesters. Critics rushed to condemn the boys鈥� original critics, many of whom rushed to apologize. And then came a backlash to the backlash, as others argued that the boys鈥� behavior still shouldn鈥檛 be excused.
听
President Trump called the Covington students 鈥渟ymbols of Fake News.鈥� And in a way (though not in the way he meant), he鈥檚 right 鈥� because the whole episode is symptomatic of a real challenge for both the media and our society at large.
听
鈥淭he nation鈥檚 culture is now enmeshed in a new technology that we don鈥檛 yet know how to control,鈥� writes听. 鈥淚n this technology, a single moment is more important than a life story. In this technology, a main activity is proving to the world that your type is morally superior to the other type.鈥�
听
There鈥檚 no question the 鈥渙utrage machine鈥� of social media lends itself to stereotypes rather than nuanced portrayals. It also tends to elevate small events 鈥� minor mistakes or instances of regrettable behavior by individuals who are not public figures 鈥� to the level of a national conversation.
听
Sometimes these conversations can result in good 鈥� if they lead to more tolerance and understanding of other viewpoints. But more often, it seems, everyone simply points fingers and moves on.
听
And the consequences can be severe.听The boys' school has been forced to close temporarily and some of them have reportedly received death threats.
听
鈥淚n hindsight, I wish we could have walked away and avoided the whole thing,鈥� Sandmann said. It鈥檚 advice those poised to jump into the online fray might heed as well.
听
Let us know what you鈥檙e thinking at听csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.