[rockskon]

The hunt for and branding of toxic behavior in online communities has long since felt like the secular version of religious fundamentalists claiming games encourage youth to become Satanists and engage in violent behavior.

Many of those who hunt for online toxic behavior present day are not impartial observers and analysts. Similar to their evangelical counterparts from the 80's, 90's, and 00's, they have their own biases rooted in axioms that are not widely held in society.

[vonwoodson]

So, the problem isn’t that people are toxic, it’s that people point it out?

Classic.

[rockskon]

The problem is that the hecklers use self-defined criteria of toxicity that isn't representative of broader society's views on what is toxic.

Many assertions of toxicity in the modern era have as much relevance as assertions of Satanism did in decades past. The accusers define the criteria they then diagnose. What they diagnose often has little relevance to actual societal ills and oftentimes just serves to further stigmatize social outcasts to no productive end.