Moreover, I’ve learned not to join in with Twitter pile-ons, or insult or mock people I disagree with. This is partly because I have no wish to add to the febrile atmosphere that permeates social media at the moment, and which I think is poisoning so much of our public debate. It’s also because the moment that you insult or belittle someone, the opportunity for progress in the discussion is lost because they’re not going to be open to anything else you say. Why should they?
Written four years ago. Still insightful. Still true.