The Light That Persists In The Darkness

Adam Serwer on MAGA and Minnesota: "The secret fear of the morally depraved is that virtue is actually common, and that they’re the ones who are alone." pic.twitter.com/ks1sZ7ddNd

— Gillian Branstetter (@GBBranstetter) January 27, 2026

My only comment on Mr. Server’s analysis is that social media didn’t rise up among the garden of Eden that is America and strangle our agency, or lead us to eat the forbidden fruit of tribalism.

Americans have always found it easy and even popular to hate the “other.” The “melting pot” finally melted Americans down into “white” and “non-white,” but the divisions on who are the “right” white, and who aren’t, remain. It’s just that from time to time the retrograde gets the upper hand.

Social media didn’t cause it, and social media isn’t making it worse. In fact, it can be fairly said right now social media is curing it. What is the algorithm that’s keeping videos and comments about Minneapolis and Renee Good and Alex Pretti front and center? Why are people marching in Cleveland and outraged in Iowa?

Ex-Trump supporter says she won’t vote Republican again: “He got stupid… it’s all about him. He thinks he’s God and he’s gonna take over the world.” pic.twitter.com/JxvMqmcyGo

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) January 28, 2026

And why hasn’t TikTok and Xitter controlled the outrage and led us all like cattle into MAGA agreement?

Maybe it’s because we have agency after all. And even a willingness to take responsibility…?