How We Broke Democracy / Technology and Empathy

[JazzGal]

I know, there's been a million articles on how social media has influenced this past election cycle. I like this one.

https://medium.com/@tobiasrose/empathy-to-democracy-b7f04ab57eee

. . . Over the last several weeks I have watched dozens of my friends on Facebook de-friend one another. I have seen plenty of self-righteous posts flow across my news feed, along with deeply felt messages of fear, anger and more recently — existential despair.

On the other side I see reflections of joy, levity, gratitude and optimism for the future. It could not be more stark.

The thing that both groups have in common is very apparent: A sense of profound confusion about how the other side cannot understand their perspective.

This seemed to be building on a trend in social media that hit full tilt in the lead up to the election: Political divisions between us are greater than they ever have been, and are still getting worse by the day.

. . . Facebook has stated that their mission is to make the world a more open and connected place. And they have, by anyone’s measure, connected more humans than any company in history.

With this success, they have also created a tool that has allowed us to become more insulated in our own ideological bubbles than we ever have been before.

Because of this lack of pluralism, we are systematically losing our ability to empathize. This is what we now see in the wider world — from Brexit to Trump to hyper-nationalistic movements worldwide. People globally no longer have the same incentives to find a shared understanding. This is not just dissatisfaction with globalization or the status quo. This is how we are changing our society by not seeing each other.

Facebook has stated that their mission is to make the world a more open and connected place. And they have, by anyone’s measure, connected more humans than any company in history.

With this success, they have also created a tool that has allowed us to become more insulated in our own ideological bubbles than we ever have been before.

Because of this lack of pluralism, we are systematically losing our ability to empathize. This is what we now see in the wider world — from Brexit to Trump to hyper-nationalistic movements worldwide. People globally no longer have the same incentives to find a shared understanding. This is not just dissatisfaction with globalization or the status quo. This is how we are changing our society by not seeing each other.

Ways to increase your political empathy online
•Expose yourself to alternative opinions — Read the other side: Your news sources likely have their own bias baked right in. There is no better way of unpacking your own beliefs than exposing yourself to the news sites that disagree with you.
•Examine the source of news for bias and factual inaccuracy before you share it — Cultivate a healthy skepticism when you see an exciting headline that comes from a website you haven’t heard of. Many of these posts are designed to appeal to hyper-partisanship in order to get you to share them.
•Engage with people who are different from you when you can — Don’t delete the friends on Facebook that disagree with you (Trolls excepted). You will not ‘pollute’ your worldview by talking to them and trying to understand their perspective. Expend the extra effort to go through a civil discourse, build common ground and avoid a shouting match.

This is one of the reasons I came back to Jazzfanz - to discuss and read opinions of people that think differently than I do. So thank you all for helping me gain a bit of empathy and understanding.

 

[LogGrad98]

YOU'RE WRONG! YOUR OPINION IS WRONG! THE FACT THAT YOUR OPINION IS DIFFERENT FROM MINE, AND WRONG TO BOOT, MEANS YOU ARE LESS THAN HUMAN AND THEREFORE UNDESERVING OF EVEN THE MOST BASIC OF HUMAN DIGNITIES!


Seriously though good article. I liked it. That is one of the reasons, among many granted, that I left Facebook behind years ago.

 

[The Midnight]

I really don't get it when people get into spats on facebook.... I mean, what is there to be gained by doing that?!?!

 

[The Midnight]

I saw on 'Snapped' Special the other day, this woman got into a spat with her best friend on facebook, and later on got so angry she went and set fire on her friend's garage.


Could have killed her, but luckily it didn't.

 

[JazzGal]

At lunch I was confronted by a coworker (with whom I've had a few political discussions in the past). He wanted to talk about how Trump will be the best president we've ever had, how he wants to chop the heads off all ISIS members, etc. I didn't want to engage because I'm trying to be more empathetic. He was having none of it. I had to walk out on him. So my high-minded ideals of love and respect lasted about an hour because there was no compromise to be had.

 

[JazzGal]

I really don't get it when people get into spats on facebook.... I mean, what is there to be gained by doing that?!?!

I unfriended three people during the election cycle. Not bad considering the majority of my FB friends are not of my political persuasion. I only unfriended people who had positions I could not tolerate (advocating violence toward liberals, approving of sexual assault and belittling women for their feelings about it, etc). As they were not "real" friends, it wasn't a big loss. Glad to find out their dark side and eliminate it from my life. No garage burning needed.

 

[Gameface]

I unfriended three people during the election cycle. Not bad considering the majority of my FB friends are not of my political persuasion. I only unfriended people who had positions I could not tolerate (advocating violence toward liberals, approving of sexual assault and belittling women for their feelings about it, etc). As they were not "real" friends, it wasn't a big loss. Glad to find out their dark side and eliminate it from my life. No garage burning needed.

There was one person in particular who is an in-law who expressed absolutely disgusting racism and essentially advocating for violence against what he referred to as "monkeys." These in-laws stay at our house typically when they come into town. I really don't want to have anything to do with the guy anymore. He was already not my favorite person.

 

[Ron Mexico]

I have never gotten in an argument on Facebook. But I also rarely use it. I have unfollowed a few people but almost always because they are relatives and I lost respect for them for certain things they post about and I have liked them enough in person and want to try and still like them because they are family. I don't unfriend them I just set it so I never see their posts. I also do that if they post a lot or post boring things too much. Mostly I have Facebook so I get invited to things easier and old friends or distant friends can contact me.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using JazzFanz mobile app

 

[devin_c]

I really don't get it when people get into spats on facebook.... I mean, what is there to be gained by doing that?!?!

Meanwhile on this forum...

 

[fishonjazz]

I have never gotten in an argument on Facebook. But I also rarely use it. I have unfollowed a few people but almost always because they are relatives and I lost respect for them for certain things they post about and I have liked them enough in person and want to try and still like them because they are family. I don't unfriend them I just set it so I never see their posts. I also do that if they post a lot or post boring things too much. Mostly I have Facebook so I get invited to things easier and old friends or distant friends can contact me.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using JazzFanz mobile app

This is pretty much me exactly.

 

[The Midnight]

There was one person in particular who is an in-law who expressed absolutely disgusting racism and essentially advocating for violence against what he referred to as "monkeys." These in-laws stay at our house typically when they come into town. I really don't want to have anything to do with the guy anymore. He was already not my favorite person.

Is this your Mexican in-law saying this?

 

[The Midnight]

I unfriended three people during the election cycle. Not bad considering the majority of my FB friends are not of my political persuasion. I only unfriended people who had positions I could not tolerate (advocating violence toward liberals, approving of sexual assault and belittling women for their feelings about it, etc). As they were not "real" friends, it wasn't a big loss. Glad to find out their dark side and eliminate it from my life. No garage burning needed.

You can also just 'unfollow' them.. that way you still remain friends on the face of it but won't have to read all their posts.. etc.

 

[JazzGal]

You can also just 'unfollow' them.. that way you still remain friends on the face of it but won't have to read all their posts.. etc.

I unfollow people for several reasons (mostly when they post dozens of things per day), but these three were online acquaintances with whom I have no real life connection and now did not want to even have the online connection. So they went bye-bye. Fortunately my family and real friends rarely post anything that upsets me too much.

 

[leftyjace]

I am now off of Facebook.

Most peaceful few weeks I've had since I joined Facebook.

Facebook increases everyone's "Circle of Concern", while doing nothing to enlarge their "Circle of Influence".

That's a formula for increased stress and unhappiness, in my opinion.

 

[LogGrad98]

To me the problem with most people on Facebook is they have a certain assumption of anonymity, like talking behind someone's back but making it public. People tend to lose their filter.

 

[fishonjazz]

I am now off of Facebook.

Most peaceful few weeks I've had since I joined Facebook.

Facebook increases everyone's "Circle of Concern", while doing nothing to enlarge their "Circle of Influence".

That's a formula for increased stress and unhappiness, in my opinion.

Good post. Makes sense.

 

[The Midnight]

I am now off of Facebook.

Most peaceful few weeks I've had since I joined Facebook.

Facebook increases everyone's "Circle of Concern", while doing nothing to enlarge their "Circle of Influence".

That's a formula for increased stress and unhappiness, in my opinion.

I had a good friend who left facebook. He's an Irish guy who live and work in Hong Kong.


It's a pity cos he is too far to go and meet... would have loved to know what he is up to every now and then.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I had a good friend who left facebook. He's an Irish guy who live and work in Hong Kong.


It's a pity cos he is too far to go and meet... would have loved to know what he is up to every now and then.

email still exist.

 

[Boris]

I know, there's been a million articles on how social media has influenced this past election cycle. I like this one.

https://medium.com/@tobiasrose/empathy-to-democracy-b7f04ab57eee







This is one of the reasons I came back to Jazzfanz - to discuss and read opinions of people that think differently than I do. So thank you all for helping me gain a bit of empathy and understanding.

Would you thank me if I say that article is a bunch of drivel an much ado about nothing? The main claim is social media has taken out empathy? Please. There is a reason the term "hard headed" exists. People have always been this way the only difference is social media cuts down the by giving people a chance to reflect instead of react and attempt to respond how they really feel. Ain't nothin changed tho.

 

[JazzGal]

Would you thank me if I say that article is a bunch of drivel an much ado about nothing? The main claim is social media has taken out empathy? Please. There is a reason the term "hard headed" exists. People have always been this way the only difference is social media cuts down the by giving people a chance to reflect instead of react and attempt to respond how they really feel. Ain't nothin changed tho.

Sure I'll thank you. It's good to have differing opinions. Helps to solidify my own.

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