Most of the conversations that have been swirling around lately seem to have such a central tone of surprise that our country was so divided. How in the world did we get here? It’s obvious we get caught in complacency in our own bubbles.
Social media isn’t helping:
If the internet is as least partially to blame for the degree of political division between Americans now—with the filter bubble of social media screening out opposing viewpoints via algorithm, and amplifying existing beliefs—maybe it makes sense that the solution might be offline.
But there are people playing with ideas that attempt to bring both sides to the physical table.
Pens Plus Pals, a pen pal matching service, is linking conservatives and liberals in an attempt to build understanding through its Red Plus Blue project.
Another project, called Hi From The Other Side, matches people for face-to-face conversations, Skype chats, or phone calls.
The goals are to connect people offline with the thought that deeper listening and understanding could go a long way in finding common ground.
The goal is not to attempt to change someone else’s mind, but to listen and better understand their point of view. As Eli Parisier wrote in The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding from You, that perspective is necessary for democracy to succeed.
Ultimately, democracy works only if we citizens are capable of thinking beyond our narrow self-interest. But to do so, we need a shared view of the world we cohabit. We need to come into contact with other people’s lives and needs and desires. The filter bubble pushes us in the opposite direction—it creates the impression that our narrow self-interest is all that exists.
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