Personally speaking, I only adopted /s because so many people took things I was saying in mocking sarcasm as like, actual right wingism or other shit, so /s exists to make sure your audience knows you are mocking assholes, and are not one of the assholes.

Yeah no, I'll keep using it, you'd be surprised how many people can't pick up on sarcasm.

I'm totally on board with this. Most of this stuff is random culture crap I could take or leave, but common use of /s is practically an excuse not to make an effort to understand the other person's POV.

Being a charitable reader and trying to understand the other person is everything.

Sure, without it there will be misunderstandings... But coming back and clarifying "I thought that was obviously sarcastic" is the kind of little nudge that makes both people reread what they wrote, and introspection keeps a community healthy.

It's embarrassing when you misunderstand someone or if you didn't get your basic position across - and frankly it should be.

And if people get nasty the second they see a bad take, that's a symptom of being in an echo chamber (or at least a very polarized community)