When navigating the divisive sea of modern politics, healthy conversation with the opposite side is crucial in gaining political perspective and literacy.
The term “echo chamber” describes the same ideas bouncing around a community, amplifying their beliefs despite reason or rebuttal.
When someone consumes information that only aligns with their current opinions, they risk tunnel vision and a closed mind.
This is prevalent and dangerous in radical organizations, where extreme ideals circulate until it becomes second nature.
Perpetuated by social media, online algorithms have created worldwide echo chambers that recommend content correlating with computer-determined interests.
For example, someone who likes one right-leaning Instagram post is now bombarded with YouTube Shorts, TikToks and Facebook posts appealing to that viewpoint.
This pattern is dangerous because the recommended posts are usually posts with higher traffic.
Controversial, violent and extreme content accumulates more views and shares, and unless flagged as violating the platform’s user agreements, is circulated to those the algorithm deems the right audience.
It’s a continuous cycle that creates hatred from social attention and prevents political growth.
This doesn’t mean submission is the solution. Healthy communication also serves as a powerful tool when defending an argument.
Challenging someone’s opinion is much more effective when the argument is educated and controlled.
Some quickly discredit another’s intelligence or self-worth because of where they stand on the political spectrum, without hearing their ideas first.
However, persuasion requires connecting with a person and discovering the deeper reason behind their initial opinion. People are traditionally more receptive to empathy than being belittled.
Many oppose hearing another perspective for fear of being wrong. Humans hate being wrong. It hurts our pride and may stem from an evolutionary instinct that equates being wrong or making a mistake as fatal.
Our political choices are reflected in much of our lives, including relationships, spiritual beliefs and lifestyle habits.
As adults, there’s control over how and with whom time is spent. The argument is not that we have to befriend everyone.
Realistically, someone’s political views reflect their character and shape their behaviors. We see this, especially on far left and right sides, when someone’s identity and sexual preference come into question.
However, when adults cannot maturely communicate with those they disagree with, it reflects poorly on their party and their argument.
Aside from strengthening your own perspective, Violence and extremism form when someone believes their opinion is the only right opinion and those opposed deserve harm or death.
The need for healthy communication has become abundantly clear with televised debates and politically driven interviews on social media.
These discussions are no longer about (or maybe they never have been) understanding but about belittling the other side, and making them, not their ideas, look stupid.
