Social media “trolls” and bullies are truly an epidemic. Often these are people who would never be so bold and derogatory in person. It seems every echo chamber has its self appointed “bouncer” who sees it as their job to drive away anyone who brings a dissenting opinion. Rather than engaging in a thoughtful discussion of any kind, they “go for the jugular” and call the opponent every name in the book. No amount of character assassination is too much, and even family members sit back and sometimes even cheer on the “bouncer” as they ravage a family member—something they would probably not be a party to in person. This from people who fancy themselves as highly opposed to any kind of overt bullying. Can Creator comment on this apparent hypocrisy?

"Hypocrisy" is a good term for this kind of behavior. When people become self-righteous thinking their opinions and their views are the absolute truth of things and then disparage others who differ in their thinking because they are perceived as flawed and of lesser substance and value, that is truly a judgment which goes beyond having different ways of looking at something by applying a lesser value to someone with a different opinion, and then acting on that judgment to punish them in some fashion with exclusion or, at a minimum, some excoriation to make clear they are an intellectual lightweight or suffering from some kind of moral defect. Most such exhibitions of dominance through presumed superiority of one’s opinions are simply ego in action where people have too high an opinion of themselves and their innate wisdom, and in that inflated view their self-confidence gives them license to criticize and even demean others who aren’t as informed and knowledgeable and astute as they believe themselves to be. That is using their intellectual perspective as a kind of power play to consolidate their loftier status at the expense of the other party. This is not only hurtful to their victim but it actually tarnishes their own soul because when confidence becomes arrogance in its expression it is a diminishment of the individual and is a karmic misstep that will require a rebalancing and a repayment in some way because the consequences will always hurt everyone involved. This is true of all misconduct—harming others harms the self even more grievously. So these are not trivial concerns. This is an important aspect in the art of living. To ride herd on one’s baser instincts and truly envision what it is like to walk in someone else’s shoes before making a critical comment, when people agree to disagree and are willing to let go of the argument eventually to, in effect, live and let live, that is a good outcome from a confrontation because it recognizes many basic truths that are divine. People are different; they are intended to be different; they are made to be different and they will be different. To force agreement with oneself on another is a misguided notion to begin with. There are times when people support falsehoods and that can be damaging but that can be pointed out in a calm, deliberate way but with due regard for the rights of others and a basic human respect for people being themselves and on a unique path. So even though they might be behind you in their learning and have a narrower perspective, you were there once yourself and have no right to criticize them about being faulty. There are kinder and gentler ways to share greater knowledge without condemnation and judgment.