An Indian technology reporter on how he witnessed the decline of democracy

I really hope this doesn’t come off offensive, but every time I read journalists describe the amazing levels of stress they deal with on social media I can’t help but roll my eyes. Especially in a piece like this, one that is apparently very personal to the author - why bother muddying the information with personal anecdotes everywhere? Why not let the events speak for themselves? Maybe I’m jaded, but the whole thing comes off as some performative, manufactured way to get clicks. Curious how war correspondents feel about such articles.

Being an Indian raised in America, my and many of my peers parents are ardent supporters of Modi, and everytime I read articles like this I can’t reconcile the differences in opinion on the man between people I know and love personally and what I read online. Curious if other Western raised Indians have similar feelings and what your takes on the situation are.

I don't know if this is some stream-of-consciousness writing exercise but this article seems confused. On the one hand, he complains of lies, trolls, neo-traditionalism and their technological proliferation, but, on the other hand, "I want a First Amendment" becomes his clarion call towards the article's second half. Does this person realize the subjects of his polemic are all covered under the First Amendment? I'm not particularly partial to India's illiberal democratic populism. Far from it. But I don't see how the author expects that having cake and eat it too is a feasible solution.