How A Reporter’s Simple Tweet About Cereal Turned Into A Hotly Debated Social Media Firestorm

Viewed through one lens, the notion that grown adults would toss personal insults toward one another—all in the name of ranking their favorite cereals—seems farfetched and ridiculous. But when examined in the context among all the other mundane issues we’ve seen turn into tweetstorm nightmares, it seems almost inevitable that CNN reporter Greg Krieg’s comment on cereal rankings would light a social media powder keg.

Granted, comparing someone who puts Honey Bunches of Oats in the 80th percentile of cereals to a war criminal is a little … dramatic, but this is Twitter, where the bounds of decency and moderation are mere guidelines for behavior.

To that point, the responses came in fast, furious, and predictably profane.

Krieg, perhaps foolishly, stood his ground and responded to a handful of tweets before realizing that moderating this discussion would prove to be a Sisyphean struggle.

In Greg’s absence, the debate persisted.

“The Hague is too good.”

Omitting the Cap’n does seem like an intentionally incendiary act.

As with most social media fights, it didn’t take long before it was 100 percent unclear who supported what, and the whole thing just sort of turned into a beautiful dumpster fire that was clearly not about food anymore.

Another reasonable discussion facilitated by the ease and convenience of social media.