I'm not sure where you got your five year number from. I ignored it because it seemed arbitrary. This certainly didn't start 5 years ago. It amped up with one major political party going fully mask off after the 2016 election, but it's gone on for as long as the internet allowed people from vastly different lived experiences to connect and compare notes.
I am now collapsing this subthread and moving on since this doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Good luck!
I simply think that I started seeing more and more of people at least talking about ostracism as if it were a primary go-to since about then. I now also think that you are probably also right; people for whom ostracism is the only option left now have an easier time doing it.
I am now collapsing this subthread and moving on since this doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Good luck!