Why People Throw Verbal Poop on Social Media

Contrary to the religious notion that humans were magically spawned from divine hands, the biological evidence reveals our ancestral monkeyhood.

Monkeys throw feces as a form of communication to signal aggression, dominance, or territoriality among group members or in response to potential threats; as a defense mechanism to deter predators or rivals; for territory marking to establish boundaries and communicate their presence; as a playful or social interaction among young individuals; and sometimes, as a way to cope with stress or frustration.

Interestingly, odorous colon fruits are also commonly hurled by humans, as demonstrated in the following cases:

1. Chimpanzee throws poop directly into Grandma's face (for context). [1]
2. Ohio man throws feces in court after sentencing. [2]
3. NYC man accused of smearing feces on woman’s face. [3]
4. Convicted assailant throughs poop at Erie County deputy. [4]
5. Houston-area man accused of throwing human feces at neighbor's home. [5]
6. Florida woman throws a bucket of human feces on the landlord. [6]
7. LAPD arrests man caught on video throwing bag of poop. [7]
8. Homeless man caught on video throwing feces at LA business owner. [8]
9. Woman caught on camera pooping on floor and throwing it at an employee. [9]
10. Suspect keeps throwing poop on Seattle council member's lawn. [10]
11. Woman throws poop at coffee shop employee who denied her restroom access. [11]

I could write a book on police reports of public poop attacks. The similarities between humans and chimpanzees dealing with stress under pressure are evident.

Social Media Poop Throwing

The human ego is always at stake on social media. If you infringe on another's psychological territory, you may get punished in the form of verbal poop-throwing. Depending on what exists in one's unconscious, the intensity of the digital odor will vary. One must type carefully so as not to disturb the opinionated beast.

Humans need to be right. They highly regard their own opinions because they're identified with them. When you oppose their opinion, you oppose their identity. When you oppose their identity, you threaten their psychic existence.

Here are some common reasons why humans engage in digital poop-throwing:

• Anonymity: Social media provides a level of anonymity that can make people feel less accountable for their actions. Individuals may be more inclined to insult others when they believe they can do so without real-world consequences. Thus, they can throw poop from behind a barrier.

• Frustration and Venting: Social media is a perfect outlet to vent frustration and anger. When people encounter something that upsets them, they can safely lash out at others as a way to release their negative emotions.

• Attention-Seeking: One can pump up their social status through displays of force with insults and inflammatory comments. Just like chimpanzees do when they demonstrate their dominance in the group. They will throw sticks and rocks and break branches in a show of strength.
  

• Group Dynamics: In some cases, people may insult others as a way to fit in or conform to the norms of a particular online community or group. They may feel pressured to engage in negative behavior to maintain their online social status.

• Miscommunication: Online communication lacks many nonverbal cues present in face-to-face interactions, making it easier for misunderstandings to occur. What may be intended as a harmless comment can be misinterpreted as an insult.

• Tribalism and Polarization: Social media platforms can sometimes foster an "us versus them" mentality. People may insult those who hold opposing views or belong to different groups to reinforce their identity and beliefs.

• Impersonal Nature: The digital divide between individuals can make it easier to forget that there are real people on the other side of the screen. This impersonal nature can make some people less empathetic and more likely to insult others.

• Lack of Consequences: Many social media platforms have limited consequences for offensive behavior, which can embolden individuals to engage in insults without fear of being held accountable.

• Emotional Reactivity: Online interactions can elicit strong emotional reactions, and in the heat of the moment, people may say hurtful things without fully considering the impact of their words.

• Cultural and Social Norms: In some online communities, insulting or trolling is seen as a form of humor or entertainment. People may engage in this behavior because they perceive it as socially acceptable within their online group.

As you can see, humans are no different than monkeys, aside from their mannequin wit. An argument is a territorial battle. One person wants to dominate the other through their words. Some digitally stab their opponents, while others imagine taking them to the ground with a victory dance while beating their chest.

The Deadly LOL

Emojis and acronyms play an important role in the poop-thrower's contest, conveying intimidating and condescending facial expressions and symbols.

One tactic used is the "laugh out loud" acronym (lol). This term triggers images of one's opponent sardonically mocking them. It is designed to humiliate and disrespect the target with the delusional aim of watching them succumb to their mocking. However, the opposite is usually the case. Humans are more likely to react aggressively to such contempt. So, the conversation never leads to diplomacy above the putrid exchange.

Keep in mind that social media turd-tossing is the only tool humans have to deal with threats because of the lack of physical proximity. If they were in person, you're likely to witness expanded chests, flailing arms, emotionally charged hand gestures, and the death stare. The size of the human primate also plays a role in the intimidation process, which makes me wonder if the social media masters will create an expandable emoji.

Once the battle for being "right" escalates into vitriolic expression, the participant who is losing the battle may go down in a ball of caca-juggling flames. They have no control over their digital nemesis. They are unable to reach into the comment thread and choke their assailant. However, the limits of the digital prison bars do not stop them from stalking their prey via a public record search until they calm down and treat themselves to a banana split.

The Historical Turd-Toss

From the mile-high view, humans throughout history have always thrown poop. In wartime, impressive fecal weapons have been deployed with toxically odorous results. Nuclear bombs, weather warfare, tactical drones, and DEW weapons (to name a few) create shit-storms around the globe, and there's no end in sight for what the 'planet of the apes' has in store for us.

Even our language is filled with various nuances of this stinky term:

• Bullshit: Refers to something that is untrue or deceptive.
• Shitshow: Describes a situation or event that is chaotic or disastrously disorganized.
• Shitfaced: Slang for being extremely drunk.
• Shitstorm: Refers to a situation that generates a lot of controversy.
• Shit-talking: Engaging in negative or critical talk about someone or something.
• Shithead: A derogatory term used to insult someone.
• You're full of shit: Referring to one's questionable words and actions.
• Shit-happens: A term for unexpected or unfortunate events in life.
• Enough of your shit: blunt way of saying you're fed up with someone's behavior.
• You're shitting me: An informal way of expressing disbelief or skepticism.

Despite our monkey cousins throwing poop balls due to a shortage of twigs and rocks in the area, there's a term I find quite revealing. It raises our lowly disputes to the level of the Gods. It cleanses our minds of the stained perception, defines our genius, and brings honor to our battle cry — Holy Shit!

My recommendation for the digital jungle is to learn critical thinking and develop a skill for diplomacy. Learn to listen to your opponent and argue skillfully without ad hominem attacks (poop-throwing). Know when you are dealing with an unworthy opponent and swiftly end the debate. You may want to smudge the incompetent troll with a block and 'delete' —  don't feed the monkeys.

Occasionally, an argument gives way to a valuable conversation and may even become an alliance; together, you can start a 'poop group' and throw turds at your adversaries.

— Zzenn