One of the more common "side effects" of ALS is some of the normal controls that go with speech and emotion become a little more intense. The disease itself doesn't cause it directly, but it puts the patient in a state of mind where one cries with no real reason, or is struck with bursts of laughter over and above the knock-knock joke. To the point of this thread, one door that unhinges is speaking first and then weighing the consequences after, as in "wow what an ugly dress....should I have said that"?
Watching this election nonsense I think that ALS is afflicting 75% of the population.
Otherwise smart and articulate people are reduced to rude slogans and snarky remarks. I admit to a fair degree of snark (we used to call it sarcasm) and sometimes delight at tweaking someone in a forum discussion to the point that they boil over.
But things going on are past that. Way past it.
I don't have a solution...like the TV commercial, I just keep my eyes peeled but offer no fix. "This too shall pass" seems like the right frame of mind but it is distressing. When basic civility erodes, things can get worse in a hurry, specially if we don't push back.