United had some recent trouble with an overbooked flight and a request for “volunteers” to give up their seat. I don’t need to provide a link to the video of a passenger being dragged off the plane because you have likely seen in it. Maybe on Facebook. Maybe on your favorite morning news show. Chances are pretty good that even if you didn’t actually see it, then you heard about it. This was a mass media moment in the age of niche media and filter bubbles. I was on a plane the next day and when the flight attendant announced their request for volunteers on an overbooked flight, nearly everyone turned to their neighbor and began talking about the United incident.
Not-So Friendly Skies
