Thread unlocked.

Thread unlocked. is a short interactive chat-sim like piece. Following a rough discussion, a (Forum?) thread is unlocked, enabling you to post something. Unknowing of the previous messages, you are given four different choices of words, leading to one of 36 different possible sentences (which you don’t know the content of either).

Ranging from short and sweet (which really makes you wonder what happened in that thread), to pretty antagonistic (which also makes you wonder what kind of arguments we had to deal with), with so few words, the piece does a pretty good job at giving a limited snapshot of what you could see after a Forum argument, when tension has supposedly died down and everyone has moved on. How so little words can really swift the vibe of a thread one way or another. Words that you know will just kill the thread for real, or see another way of doubling down (and maybe some stronger moderation action).

There is something slightly triggering about the first four words on the screen: Thread Unlocked. Slowmode Off. As some sort of slithering anxiety finding its way through your throat and tightening it more and more, as the worry, of people barging in back in and restart the argument that required the thread to be locked in the first place, just… bursts (these threads are emotionally draining).

I don’t think I’ll be able to look at another locked thread and not be reminded of this piece. Also a good reminder to pick your words… or just avoid posting? Yeah… sometimes it’s the best way of action.