A Luxury Good Called Justice: The True Nature of "Invisible Violence" Revealed by Social Media - 1/04/2026

Abstract

We have come to believe that social media is a "magic wand" that empowers the vulnerable and makes the world a better place. However, beneath its glittering exterior, we unconsciously wield a terrifying weapon. Why do good people corner others under the banner of "justice" in the midst of our everyday, peaceful lives? This paper unravels the structure of "cheap violence" brought about by the democratization of information and quietly but dispassionately describes the inescapable, ruthless dynamics facing modern society.

Keywords

Social media, runaway justice, the structure of lynching, attention, violence in the digital age

Everyone is holding the "guillotine's rope"

One morning, you open your smartphone screen and find someone's gaffe or scandal filling your timeline. Feeling a faint sense of indignation, you tap the screen a few times to spread your criticism. Or perhaps you add a sharp, sarcastic remark.

At this moment, you may be feeling a pure desire to right wrongs. But how many of us are aware that the power of our fingers is functioning as a weapon capable of destroying the lives of those we don't even know?

Once held exclusively by those in power, the power to judge others is now available to everyone via packet. Without even getting our hands dirty, we can hold the rope that sends a stranger to the guillotine from the comfort of our own sofas.

The Temptation of "Cheap Justice"

Why are conflicts so prevalent on social media? It's because the effort required to enforce justice has been reduced to an absolute minimum.

In the real world, denouncing someone requires considerable resolve and effort. It requires revealing one's face, risking rebuttal, and investing time and effort. However, in the digital world, hidden beneath the cloak of anonymity, we can shoot down "evil" with just a few seconds of action.

What's happening here isn't a lack of morality, but simply a matter of "efficiency."

The Pleasure of Aggression = Nearly Zero Cost + Infinite Justification

We enjoy the sweet nectar of justice from a safe haven, where we have no fear of retaliation. No matter how hurt or crippled the other person, we don't lose a penny—and we even receive the reward of approval in the form of a "like." In this structure, it's far more difficult to find a reason to refrain from attacking.

Where "Silence" poses the greatest risk

Some people may think, "I won't attack anyone and want to remain neutral." However, in this battlefield-like space, even maintaining a neutral stance can be a threat to survival.

When two sides are in fierce conflict, those who seek calm discussion without taking sides are viewed by both sides as "enemies" or "traitors." As long as you're part of the crowd, joining the line of attacking someone, you won't become a target yourself. In other words, attacking others has become the quickest way to protect oneself.

The Dynamics of Competition

The very structure of social media is designed to incite anger over our gaze, or the limited resource known as "attention." Quiet conversations go unnoticed; only harsh insults reverberate far and wide. To survive in this space, we must continue to exclude others more forcefully and violently.

The End of the Theater with No Escape

We are under the illusion that we are "audience." However, in reality, we are standing on the stage of this vast theater, and no one can predict when the spotlight will shine on us as the "villain."

The weaponization of social media is not a phenomenon caused by a few immoral individuals. It is a structural inevitability that results when we all prioritize "low-cost pleasure" and the "safety of belonging to a group."

Uncovered violence is hidden beneath the glorified term "justice." When we face this reality head-on, the weight of the smartphones we hold in our hands will feel completely different than before. We no longer have any way to escape from this "invisible prison" that we have created ourselves.