How Not To Communicate: Lessons From Trolls

In recent weeks, many Americans have been astounded by the hatred some of their compatriots seem to harbor toward people of color, immigrants, and anyone else who seems different. But as a woman who is regularly trolled for sharing her opinions, I have long understood that our country has a harrowing problem with hate.

I’m a professor and I write about one op-ed a week, typically for CNN Opinion and Bloomberg View. My commentary focuses on politics and communication, so I’ve written about everything from how President Trump can communicate more effectively to why Cynthia Nixon should run for governor of New York. The abusive e-mails and tweets I receive in response aren’t voluminous -- they clearly come from a small fringe of my readers. But three things about them trouble me, and suggest trouble for the country.