Yeah it can be hard to differentiate between criticism and insults online. Often insults will be emotionally driven or have surface level analysis while proper criticism will have deeper insight into the topic and be delivered calmly.
I’ve seen proper criticism taken as an insult.
I would assume immaturity or insecurity.
Well everybody has good and bad days. A disproportionate emotional response, especially one that gets apologized for later, is pretty easy to sympathize with. In many ways I like working with people who don’t pretend to be perfect. But when people like really dig their heels in, and start burning mental and emotional energy due to somebody else criticizing their work or positions, its like a reality warping tunnel created by people who are mad at each other.
