In the real world, success means getting good things done. On the Internet, success means winning the argument (or thinking you did). As we spend more and more time online, we increasingly get policies that let online people feel they are winning, but don't do much good IRL.

e.g.: - defund the police - tariffs - voting against Kamala "because of Palestine" - MAHA - banning plastic straws All of these movements have been incredibly successful, if the measure of success is "get tons of online attention." None have helped their supposed beneficiaries