Recently, I had an unpleasant exchange in a Facebook group of “Independent Educational Consultants.” Below are screenshots of the “conversation,” which consisted of a bunch of angry colleagues questioning my integrity. It started with the OP posting a letter sent by Ronald Lauder to Liz Magill, president of the University of Pennsylvania sans comment. As it turns out, the context included the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians and the Palestine Writes Literature Festival held in September. (Here’s a link to a 25 September 2023 article about the event published by The Daily Pennsylvanian, UPenn’s student newspaper.)
My initial reaction was, “Some context would be helpful.” I even mentioned that I live in Vietnam. As you can see, most of the comments were attacks on me, someone they had never met or even Googled. David Levin even tried to back me into that dark and dank “I don’t care” or maybe even “I don’t like Jews” corner by stating, “You may not be concerned about this, but some of us are.” (Sorry, Dave, that dog don’t hunt, as they say in parts of the southern US.) Larry Blumenstyk probably thought he performing a noble public service by using my real name and “outing” me. “Mark Capstone” is my professional Facebook account. I have another one with my real name that I rarely use. It’s mainly to stay in touch with some old friends. Memo to Larry: Google me, bro! I’m not a household name but neither am I anonymous.
What struck me was the arrogance of these people, the blithe assumption that the USA is the center of the global solar system, the red, white, and blue sun around which the rest of the world revolves. (News flash! If you think it is, you need to get out – of the country – more often.) Even from my perch in Hanoi, naturally, obviously, without question, I should know what’s going on at UPenn. Had I been hiding under a rock? Was I in a coma? And of course, everyone agrees and walks in lockstep on this issue. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Boom!
Shame on them, especially the ringleaders, DL and LB, but also the silent majority, the keyboard warriors who piled on with their thumbs up and heart emojis, all “triggered” by legitimate and honest questions.
Shalom (שלום), MAA
An International Educator in Vietnam 
Most of the comments, i.e., personal attacks, are a perfect example of groupthink, defined as “a phenomenon that occurs when a group of individuals reaches a consensus without critical reasoning or evaluation of the consequences or alternatives. Groupthink is based on a common desire not to upset the balance of a group of people.” Shame on all of those who piled on and participated in this rhetorical lynching.